Hellsing: Coat of Arms
by KDKB
Summary: The death of a monster breeds the death of his master and the plight of her daughter as she attempts to find herself in the world of the living and the dead. Full summary inside.
1. Prologue: The Death of a Titan

Summary, continued: A handsome stranger with disturbing news comes knocking on Hellsing's door, claiming to harbor the desire to aid the young girl against an impending attack. When Alucard's name is mentioned, he confidently states that the vampire king will not return. However, the young Hellsing descendent recalls her mother's confidence in the lord of the undead, and his inevitable return will change her life forever.

((AUTHORS' NOTE: This story deviates from Hellsing canon about 12 years after the battle of London. It contains several of the canon characters, but also several necessary original characters. Don't let this deter you! This story is well worth an idle read, and it contains a little bit of everything Hellsing fans have come to love: action, gore, the disparity between man and monster, and angsty, ignored love between master and servant. It delves into territories beyond the vampiric, for vampires are not the only force of darkness present in the world, nor are they the most dangerous.))

PROLOGUE

Integra Hellsing sat in her study, mired behind a deskful of paperwork she had only begun to peruse. The creeping shadows of evening had long since faded into the darkness of night; only the dim glow of her lamp and the distant twinkle of city lights illuminated the mountain of desk work Hellsing had become. Her good eye darted idly across the heading of the case file at the top of the pile, and she allowed herself a short laugh.

"'Suspicious activity in Bath'," she chuckled, raising a graying eyebrow. "'Local gang activity thought to be the work of vampires'. What rubbish." Pulling the packet from the pile, she crumpled it easily in her hand and tossed it into the trash can at her side, then picked up the underlying file. "'Supposed Nazi survivor arrested on the streets of London. Thought to be planning the destruction of newly reconstructed Big Ben'. Unbelievable." She had barely finished reading the title before the stapled packet of papers joined its predecessor in the rubbish bin. Turning her gaze to the window, she leaned back in her chair and pulled a fragrant cigar from the drawer to her right, placing it between her teeth as she returned her hand to the desk for her lighter. "The world is such a paranoid place since the battle of London," she murmured to the shadows as she flipped open the lid of her Zippo and expertly flicked the wheel. "And yet our lives have never been less eventful." A small flame sputtered to life atop the butane-soaked wick, and she held it to the tip of her cigar. Ribbons of smoke slowly encircled her careworn face, the burning tobacco reflecting dully from her glasses.

It had been thirty years since the three armies had converged upon London. Thirty years since the anniversary of the city's destruction and subsequent rebirth into constant, unfounded paranoia. Thirty years since the disappearance of the most terrifying forces on earth.

Thirty years since...

She blew a ring of smoke into the stale office air. The memories seemed ancient now, almost ethereal. Life had changed so much since the vampire king had stood before her, ready to lead his legions of the undead into the burning fires of Jerusalem as it tumbled back to earth. Even so, his cold, red eyes were as embers in her soul, ever fading, yet ever burning.

Though she was still convinced he would return, she had long since conceded the likelihood that it would not be in her lifetime, and had eventually come to accept it. The loss of her servant had certainly taken its toll, but the dawn of that day had turned to night, and time marched on.

"And it has been a cruel march, indeed," she muttered, running her fingertips along the lines of her cheek. "I am merely 52 years old, but I feel like I am over 100."

"No matter how many times you say that, I still say you don't look it."

Letting her thoughts filter to the back of her mind, Integra glanced up at the door. Seras Victoria stood before the ancient woodwork, a playful grin quirking her ever-youthful lips as she raised her right hand in greeting. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean to interrupt your little monologue. But I must inform you that talking to yourself makes you seem a lot older than you are."

"Oh, bite your tongue," she snapped, though she couldn't suppress a small smile. "I don't need a lecture on the cruelties of age, especially not from you." Snubbing out the cigar in the crystal ash tray to her left, she gestured Seras forward as she pushed her chair back from her desk. "Has Annabel returned from the college fair?"

"Erm...yes," Seras replied uneasily, eyes darting to the door and back.

"...and?"

"...she has...chosen a school."

"Well, what is it?" Integra demanded impatiently.

The young draculina hesitated again, then let out a defeated sigh. "London's University of the Arts."

Integra raised an eyebrow, then slowly lowered her head into her hands, irritably rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers. "Are you serious?"

Seras shrugged helplessly, unsure of what to say.

"I swear, that girl never wants to make a damn thing of herself," the older woman grumbled, suddenly wishing she hadn't put out her cigar.

Shortly after the battle of London had been won, the Hellsing organization had found itself in the midst of an international cry for answers. Various anti-freak ventures from around the world were suddenly at her door, offering their 'constructive' criticism and demanding explanations for the 'obvious lack in judgment of the Hellsing family's prestigious leader'. Even as London struggled to rebuild, Integra had found herself scrambling to maintain some semblance of respect from her peers despite the fact that she had, with only a handful of men and monsters, defeated the Nazi forces while the rest of the world sat back and watched. They had called for her dismissal from her post, and despite her efforts to appease their angry demands, they had prepared to replace her with another member of the Round Table Conference. Eventually she was faced with no other choice but to cooperate with the leader of the American anti-freak operation and, in doing so, accept his proposal to permanently join their organizations through a hurriedly arranged marriage.

The combination of two of the world's greatest anti-vampire operations proved quite fruitful. Technology, weapons and intelligence were greatly improved on both sides, and for a time, the two were content to go their separate ways. Their interaction was delegated to their subordinates, who kept the alliance alive under the distant supervision of their superiors. So life carried on.

However, when her barely acquainted husband was diagnosed with stage III cancer, things became a lot more complicated. He insisted that his son, one Xavier King, be placed in charge of both organizations upon his death. Integra protested vehemently, stating that if Alucard returned, he would not listen to anyone who was not of Hellsing descent. Her husband scoffed at this; every piece of intelligence he had gathered from either operation stated that the vampire king was dead, and so a months-long legal battle ensued.

Finally, after almost a year of debate, they reached an agreement. Unwilling to leave Hellsing to someone outside of the family, Integra agreed to mother a child, whom they believed would ultimately inherit leadership of both organizations. Within six months, she was with child.

Her husband, however, did not live to see the baby's birth. By the end of her second trimester, the cancer had metastasized to his lungs, and he died two days before the birth of his daughter: Annabel Integra Hellsing.

After years of conflict, things were quiet. Stunned by the death of his father, Xavier faded into the tapestry of American life, and Integra was left to command both organizations unopposed. Those who had raised objections about her position were satisfied by the fulfillment of the legal agreement, and she was free to raise her daughter to follow in her footsteps.

Her daughter, however, had ideas of her own.

A spirited child from the start, Annabel showed no interest in the world of supernatural politics. She seemed to shirk responsibility of any kind from an early age, choosing instead to engage in whimsical fantasies while ignoring any suggestions that she 'grow into things more suitable to her position'. By the time she was 12, Integra had all but given up.

"Art school," she muttered, curling her lip in disdain. "Go figure."

"In her defense, sir, she _is_ really good," Seras ventured hesitantly. "She could probably make a fortune on her current portfolio alone."

"I don't care how much money she could make painting portraits of tourists as they visit the Bailey!" Integra slammed her hand down on the arm of her chair as she stood. "She is a Hellsing! Her duty is to her family, her country and her queen! What makes her think that a degree in art is going to help her become a respected leader?"

Seras flinched as her master struck the old leather chair. "With all due respect, sir Integra, I thought you wanted her to attend college so she could grow up. I wouldn't think it matters what she chooses to go for."

Before the older woman could reply, an explosion rocked the estate on its ancient foundations. Integra managed to steady herself on the solid wooden desk and reached for the phone, quickly selecting one of the internal lines before enabling the speakerphone. "Officer Jonston, what is going on down there?" she demanded, instructing Seras to stand by with a jerk of her head.

Her question was answered only by static on the other end of the line.

"Damnit." She jammed the button again, disconnecting the call and leaning heavily against the desk, chewing her lip as she quickly ran her options through her mind.

"Do you want me to go find out what's happening?" Seras asked, watching her superior with calm red eyes.

"No. Whatever it is, it's already made its way past our primary defenses." Pushing her glasses up on her nose, she adjusted her eyepatch as she made her way to the armoir on the other side of the room. Flinging open the dust covered doors, she pulled her sword from its hanger and began strapping it to her belt. "Just get Annabel and go."

"But sir-"

"Do not question your orders, soldier!" she snapped. Having secured her blade, she swiped the blessed handgun from the bottom shelf and pulled the clip, making sure it was full before shoving it back into the gun. "Annabel is not prepared for something like this and you know it. She will be safer if she is taken elsewhere."

Seras seemed like she was about to protest once more, but quickly decided against it. "Be careful, sir," she murmured, then disappeared in a cloud of mist.

Stuffing a few extra clips into her pockets, Integra elbowed shut the doors of the armoir and made her way back to her desk, where she settled tiredly back into her chair to wait. "Now would be a great time to come back, Alucard," she whispered to the night air, once more pulling open the drawer to retrieve another cigar.

She felt the presence of the enemy before she saw them. The room grew cold, and the lamp to her right shattered with an earsplitting crack. Her jaw clenched as she readied herself for battle, the tips of her teeth sinking several millimeters into the butt of the cigar. "I don't care for cowardice," she called to her invisible opponents, removing the safety and cocking the barrel of her gun. "So why don't you just show yourselves so we can get this over with? I'd like to get to bed before midnight."

"Brave as always, Integra," came the leering reply. "Don't worry, though; you'll be sleeping much sooner than you think...for much longer than you ever anticipated."

Shadowy figures began to form around the room; there seemed to be dozens of them, and none of them were even remotely human. Grotesque frames emerged from the shadows, each a terrifying mass of razor sharp teeth and muscle. Integra's eyes went wide, the cigar toppling to the floor as her mouth hung open in shock. "Wh...what is this?" she whispered as more of the monsters took form, eagerly awaiting their unseen master's command.

"To quote your beloved subordinate, this is your death." Throaty laughter rippled through the ranks as they began to close in around her, fixing her with hungry red eyes.

The antique leather chair toppled to the ground as she shoved herself to her feet, holding the gun in front of her and trying to point it at each of her opponents in turn. "Attacking one human woman with an army of dozens," she spat, firing a single shot into the heart of one of the creatures who had stepped ahead of the others. He fell, writhing, to the ground, then burned away in a puddle of tarry black blood. "How very courageous of you."

"We're not taking any chances. I'm sure you won't hold it against us."

Another creature lunged forward, and she placed a blessed bullet between his eyes. "What do you want with me?" she demanded, taking a short step back.

"Something we cannot have unless you are permanently removed from the picture," the disembodied voice replied idly. "I'm sorry, it's nothing personal, but I am interested in someone very close to you, and you would only get in the way. Now, I have other matters to which to attend, so I must bid you...adieu." She heard the owner of the voice snap his fingers, and his subordinates rushed forward to attack.

"Fine then!" Tossing her gun to her left hand, she drew her sword with her right and kicked the chair into the oncoming ranks, taking the opportunity to retreat to the far side of the room. Planting her back against the wall, she gave her enemies a short salute. "Have at you!"

The battle lasted only a minute. Though she managed to kill at least a dozen of her attackers, dozens more took their place, slowly wearing down her defenses until a blackened claw pierced her heart. The metallic taste of blood spurted into her mouth, and she slid, choking, to the ground at her enemies' feet.

"Hold!" Their leader's voice rang out once more, halting the onslaught of blows before they could finish her off. "It is done. Let her die in peace."

Integra's eyes fluttered as she watched her attackers retreat. Their disparaging remarks fell on dulled ears; she let her head thunk back against the stone wall.

"Oh, Alucard," she whispered, flecks of blood staining her lips as she forced a small laugh. "Seems you were too late. Please...if...when...you return, watch over my Annabel..." Heavy lids fell across equally blinded eyes, barely obscuring the tall shape of a man who stood, watching, from the door.


	2. The Man in the Invisible Mask

**Chapter 1:**

Annabel Hellsing, the only daughter of the late Sir Integra Hellsing, tiredly shook the hand of the final guest as they made their way out of the ancient mausoleum. The service had been somber and strictly regimented, rendering the entire ordeal impersonal and almost inappropriate for the loss of her mother. While she knew that none of the guests had known her mother as more than the face behind the menacing family name, she couldn't help but resent the cold, unfeeling eulogy delivered by a distant family member she had never known. It was as if her mother's passing was just another line on the schedule, and she found herself quietly hating the so-called mourners even as the last of them made their way across the tomb-littered field. When the pathway to the parking lot was finally empty, she motioned to Seras Victoria, who gave her a short nod and followed her outside, gently pulling the towering marble doors closed behind them. Casting one last, carefully guarded look at the silent house of the dead, Anna blew out a soft sigh and turned her steps toward the road.

The sky seemed appropriately overcast; rainclouds gathered over the grave of the fallen titan, rumbling mournfully but respectfully holding back their tears. The engine of the last guest rumbled to life, followed by the sound of rubber churning away at the old brick road into the distance. The cemetery was finally empty aside from the new mistress of Hellsing and her servant; the world seemed to hold its breath as the unusual pair made their way toward the wrought iron gates.

As they passed through the gateway to the hills of the deceased, the wind blew out a sigh, and the world turned again. A sleek, black Mercedes rolled to a stop before Anna's gloved white hand, and the chauffer made his way toward her to allow her entrance to the vehicle.

She forced a smile and nodded to the chauffer as he opened the door, sliding inside and quietly pulling the seatbelt across her lap. She waited for Seras to settle into the seat beside her, then met the driver's gaze. "Home please," she said softly. The man nodded and closed the door.

The car smoothly slid into motion. Anna sighed and removed her gloves, allowing her head to fall back against the headrest as she watched the cemetary fade into the distance. The English trees blurred by as they started back to the Hellsing estate, the bullet-proof glass providing an insulated shield from the sound of the vehicle piercing the wind. However, much too soon the car lurched to a halt.

Annoyed by the sudden delay, Anna leaned forward to tap on the window separating them from the chauffer. "What's going on?" she asked as the driver rolled down the glass.

"Miss Anna," the chauffer said uneasily, "there appears to be a man blocking our path. I have tried to signal him to move, but he simply stands there..." Sweaty fingers clasped and unclasped around the leather-covered wheel. "I'm...not sure what to do. Perhaps miss Seras...?"

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Anna looked over at Seras. The young draculina nodded, giving her new master an apologetic look before popping open the door and stepping out of the car. "Excuse me, sir, but you are going to have to get out of the road," she called, folding her arms across her ample chest. Meanwhile, Anna had rolled down her window and leaned out to see what was going on.

The man stood about 6'2", cloaked in a floor-length black overcoat and a tangle of messily braided long brown hair. Eerie blue eyes set in a chiseled face gazed from beneath a veil of brunette bangs. His clothes looked normal at first glance, but upon further scrutiny they appeared to be just a bit off. Muscular arms flowed into fists that were clasped loosely behind his back. He did not seem the least bit perturbed by Seras' warning. "Is this the vehicle of Annabel Integra Hellsing?" he asked coolly. His voice was soft but edged, like a scalpel wrapped in silk.

Seras' eyes darted back to the car, willing her charge to remain behind the bullet-proof door. Her efforts were in vain; before she could protest, Anna had already opened the door. "Who wants to know?" she demanded as stepped out of the car, her sword still sheathed but ready to be drawn. Blowing out an exasperated sigh, Seras kicked her door shut and made her way around the back of the car to stand by her master's side.

A smile quirked the man's lip. Bringing a single hand to rest over his heart, he offered a small bow. "I do, of course," he replied, his smirk widening as he saw the look of exasperation on her face. "I have come to offer my condolences for the loss of your mother. She was an impressive woman."

"Yes she was. Now please move out of our way. Both my companion and I wish to go home. It has been a long day."

"I'm sure it has," he retorted silkily. "However, if I leave you to your own devices and go on my way without imparting to you the information I possess, your day may indeed become a lot longer."

She exchanged glances with the young vampire at her side. "How do we know we can trust you?" she asked warily, turning her gaze back to him as she moved her hand to the hilt of her sword.

"I suppose you don't. Then again, in light of the circumstances, what choice do you have?"

"Considering I am unaware of these so-called circumstances, I would say my options are still mostly open," she replied dryly. "Perhaps if you could illuminate, we could decide what to do from there."

"Momentarily." Before she could blink, he was out of sight. A gust of wind slammed into her, blowing the beautiful blonde hair that was her mother's trademark back behind her shoulders; a split second later, the man was pressed against her, hand extended over her shoulder. She heard a muffled cry immediately to her left; a small drop of hot black liquid slipped down her cheek.

Seras hissed, startled by the sudden appearance of the unseen assailant. Acting sheerly on instinct, she tore the body from the stranger's arm and flung it away, nostrils flaring as her eyes resurveyed the scene, searching for any sign that the threat remained.

Attempting to slow her racing heart, Anna reached up a trembling hand to wipe what she could only assume to be blood from her cheek. "You move quickly," she commented, forcing her tone to remain flat and calm. Despite her endeavors to seem unfazed, she quickly drew her sword, motioning for the driver to take off. The terrified chauffer immediately pressed the pedal to the floor, and the car sped off into the distance.

The man retracted his arm, examining the now-dripping extremity with mild interest. "Apparently not quickly enough. I thought I had destroyed all of them before I found my way to you; apparently one was fast enough to get away without my knowledge." With a single, swift swipe of his arm, he sent the tar-like blood splattering to the ground. "I had hoped to be able to properly warn you before the threat...made your acquaintance." The attacker's body, which had fallen to the ground several yards away, emitted a soft hissing sound as it dissolved.

Seras curled her lips in disgust at the growing puddle, then turned her gaze upon the newcomer. "Anna...we should go. I don't trust him."

"He saved my life, Seras," she replied wearily. "We can at least hear what he has to say." Having finished scanning their surroundings, she finally resheathed her sword and turned to the stranger. "What were those things? And are you sure you only missed one?" she asked, watching him carefully.

"I believe so, but one can never be sure with demons." A slender hand pushed a few stray strands of hair out of his eyes.

The calm pretense she had managed to portray fell away as she blinked in disbelief. "Demons?" she repeated, a mixture of skepticism and fear tinging her words.

"Indeed." The young man casually looked his arm over, searching for any stray flecks of blood. "They have been quite problematic on this plane as of late, what with the Vampire King's disappearance and his master's passing. Seems the underworld is no longer a desirable environment, especially when there's another unguarded plane ripe for the taking."

"I would think the underworld would never be a desirable environment," Anna snorted. "Now...why exactly are you here? And what do you expect us to do about this threat if we don't even know where Alucard is?"

"Ah, humans...so dependent on the monsters they claim to conquer." He shook his head. "The vampire king, or Alucard, as you call him, is nowhere he can be of immediate use. However..." His gaze met hers with icy mirth. "I am here, and I am willing to serve."

"Why should I trust you? You may have saved my life, but for what purpose, I can't be sure."

"How did you know to trust Alucard?" he retorted.

"Alucard has served my family...and my mother, in particular, for a long time. He has...had...always looked out for her."

He spread his hands wide. "And where is he now? Why did he not stop that demon from almost tearing you into pieces? Where was he when Sir Integra breathed her last breath?"

Her eyes hardened as she glared at him. "I'm sure if he could have come, he would have, and we would have had no need of your service today. Now unless you have any other reason for me to trust you, I suggest you leave me be and never mention my mother's death to me again." Brushing roughly past him, she started down the street toward the Hellsing Manor. Casting the man one last baleful look, Seras shook her head and trotted off after her master, falling easily into step beside her.

"Fine, have it your way," he called after her. "However, when the next demon attacks, you shan't be so lucky. Your pet vampire there is no match for the caliber of demons which have found their way to earth. The only thing keeping them at bay was Alucard himself, and he has been neutralized."

His words brought her to a halt in spite of herself. Her mind raced through the few things her mother had told her about the vampire Alucard; she had always said she believed he was still out there somewhere, but Anna had never been so sure. Grinding her teeth in frustration, she finally turned around. "What do you mean, neutralized?"

Seras turned with her, fixing the man with a narrow glare. "I would know if Alucard was dead," she spat. "He made me; I would no longer be here if he had ceased to exist."

"Alucard is no longer a part of this plane of existence, and therefore can never come running to your rescue again." He took a step toward the pair, blue eyes glinting in the gloomy atmosphere.

"So what do you propose?" Anna asked sharply, planting her hand on her hip as she willed herself not to take a step back.

"Allow me to serve in Alucard's place," he replied promptly, sweeping another elegant bow. "Only then will I tell you everything I know."

Anna and Seras exchanged a quick glance.

I don't think this is wise, Anna, Seras told her silently. You know nothing about him. For all you know, he could be the one who attacked and killed Sir Integra.

I know, she replied tersely, turning her gaze back to the stranger with narrowed eyes. But what if he DOES have information for us? What if he is the only way we can stave off whatever it is that's heading our way? I think we should play along for now.

I disagree.

Well, I guess that's too bad.

"Very well," Anna said aloud, ignoring Seras' withering glare. "You may stay, but you will not take Alucard's place. You are only filling in temporarily."

Seiryu gave her a lopsided smile. "From what I have learned, you have never met Alucard. He died before your birth."

She shrugged. " True enough, but I've heard enough about him from Seras and my mother to know that he will be back, and if you turn out to be less than honorable in your intentions, you will not live to regret your betrayal. Now, are you coming or not? I'm tired and would like to get home."

Another short bow. "Then home we shall go." Before he could straighten, the world dissolved around them, only to be replaced a split second later by the elegant interior of the Hellsing estate. The familiar castle walls welcomed them back with a warm sense of belonging; however, the comforts of the commonplace were offset by the presence of the newcomer, giving an air of unfamiliarity to the sanctuary of the mansion.

Seiryu's eyes traveled idly across what should have been the unfamiliar surroundings, briefly assessing and dismissing each painting, window, and light fixture. "Nice place."

Anna blinked and looked around, slightly surprised to find herself home so quickly. Rushing to recompose herself, she gave him a small nod. "Thank you. Seras will show you to one of the guest rooms. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have things I need to do." With that she spun and walked down the hall towards her mother's office.

Seras frowned and turned towards Seiryu. "I don't trust you."

"You don't need to trust me, little girl," he replied with a smirk. "In fact, you will shortly be obsolete. I will find my own way to my quarters." Without even a nod, he brushed past the young draculina and headed off down the hall, ignoring her eyes burning angry holes into his back.

Anna closed the door to the office, which had all too abruptly become hers, behind her with a sigh and headed over to the desk. Sitting down in the old leather chair, she started shifting through the reports that had remained untouched since her mother's death.

However, she had barely scanned the top sheet before a brisk knock came at the door. "Anna, I would speak with you." It was the young stranger's voice which floated through the ancient oak.

Rolling her eyes to heaven, she slapped the papers back down onto the desk with an irritated sigh. "Come in," she muttered, turning her gaze back to what she was reading.

The door slid silently open, and the young man stepped forth into the gloomy room. "I apologize for the intrusion; however, I feel that it would only be appropriate for us to complete the introductions which were necessarily placed on hold." Approaching the old wooden desk, he extended a slender hand. "My name is Seiryu, and I might add, albeit a bit belatedly, that I have desired to meet you in person for quite some time."

Realizing that the faster she got the introductions over with the faster he would leave, she sighed and took his hand, giving it one brisk shake. "Anna...but then again, you already knew that. Please, have a seat." She motioned vaguely to the two chairs on his side of the desk.

Seiryu eagerly returned the smile and settled into the chair on the left. "I must apologize for my rather rude entrance," he said apologetically, expression contrite. "But you have to understand, there was little time for explanation outside the safety of these walls. I also had to ascertain...that you were in fact the woman I was instructed to find."

"Instructed? By whom?" she asked, absentmindedly playing with the pen she had picked up after their brief handshake. Realizing that she was fidgeting, she set the pen down and placed her hands in her lap.

"Your father." Hard blue eyes searched her face for a reaction. "Maxillion King of the United States Anti-Freak Operation. I was in his service in a division of the US anti-demon agency, a highly classified branch of the military of which even your mother was not aware. With your father in command and myself at his side, we were able to keep demonic activity under control...until his death." A frown furrowed his olive brow. "When King passed, I was one against many. He instructed me to ensure the safety of your mother and yourself. However, had believed I was able to keep the threat contained in the States...until recently. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to save your mother, but I knew you were still alive. The rest you know."

"I see," she said slowly, not giving anything away. "So what do you expect to accomplish here, seeing how you could not contain the threat in the US?"

"I was bound to your father in much the same way as Alucard was bound to your mother," he answered briskly. "My last standing order was to ensure your safety in the face of the demon threat, and that is what I intend to do."

"Very well." She pushed a strand of golden hair out of her face, studying him closely as she attempted to feel him out. The contempt in his voice when he spoke Alucard's name had caught her attention, and she found herself uneasy despite his calm demeanor. "You don't like Alucard," she commented, forcing nonchalance through the veil of apprehension. "...why?"

His reply came immediately. "He was a fool. He placed your mother's life in danger countless times for no further reason than to amuse himself in battle. Allowed enemies to waste his countless lives in the interest of sport. Abandoned your mother in the time of greatest need, when the Nazi forces threatened to destroy all of London. Left you to fend for yourself against a threat of which you were yet not even aware." Setting clasped hands on the polished surface of the desk; he leaned forward and met her gaze with unwavering eyes. "Need I continue?"

"No," she said simply, carefully keeping her face blank. "So how do you propose we stop this threat?"

"Honestly, that is not my concern." He leaned back in his chair, having made his point. "My only desire is to fulfill my master's final wish, which was to keep you safe. So long as that is accomplished, demons can run rampant through this planet and I could not care less. I am one of them, after all."

"You might not care...but I do." She leaned slightly toward him to emphasize her point. "And if I have to find a way to stop them without your help, I will. However, since, as you so kindly pointed out, you are a demon, I would appreciate your insight."

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "I have no inclination to kill my own kind beyond what is necessary to keep you safe. However, should you place yourself in danger, I would have no choice but to come to your aid." His eyes glittered with amusement; he seemed to be almost enjoying their little exchange.

"Fair enough. Anything else you would like to share with me today? Because I really should get this finished before I retire tonight." She gestured to the mountain of paperwork before her.

"No, I suppose not." Pushing his chair back from the desk, he slid easily to his feet. "With your permission, I will find my quarters now."

She nodded once, attention already turned back to the task at hand. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," she replied dismissively. When he had gone, she blew out a small sigh of relief, then picked up the stack of papers and began again.


	3. The Proposal

((Authors' note: Hey you! Yeah, you. With the face. If you're still reading this fic, you obviously like it at least a little. As this story is still ongoing, we would love to hear from you. Likes, dislikes, constructive criticism...all of this would be greatly appreciated. We're aspiring authors, and we would love the chance to converse with readers and other authors. Your expertise is always welcome! So please, if you have a few, leave something for us in the review section. That way we know that it will be worth it to continue to edit and post this story; it's a lot of work, y'know! R&R!))

A few hours later, her office was empty, its file-laden desk still mostly untouched. Finding herself overwhelmed by the massive stacks of paperwork she had no idea how to complete, Anna had decided to place her calls on hold and make her way to the sublevels for a much needed break. The stark white walls of the fencing hall seemed warm and inviting compared to the stale interior of her mother's office, and she found herself enjoying the pounding of her heart and the sweat on her brow as she carefully guided herself through her footwork exercises. This had, after all, been one of the few activities she and her mother had enjoyed together, and the comfort of the familiar made it easier to forget.

However, eventually she found herself tiring, and she was forced to return to reality. Perfectly executing the final step of her routine, she heaved a heart-heavy sigh and lowered her foil, tucking it under her arm as she pulled off her mask and shook out her long golden hair.

"That was quite...invigorating," came a voice from across the room. Anna whirled around to find Seiryu standing in the shadows of the corner, blue eyes fixed cheerfully but mischievously on her slender frame. "I would almost call it...arousing."

Anna narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been there?" she demanded, feeling a slight flush stain her cheeks.

"Since you were donning your gear," he replied with a grin.

Suppressing the urge to fling her helmet at his head, she made a face and stalked over to the table next to the wall, throwing her gear down on the surface and grabbing her waterbottle from the corner. "You should have said something," she grated. "Standing there watching me without my knowledge is just...strange." She flicked her gaze across his slender frame, then gave him a lopsided smile. "Or were you afraid I would ask you to join me?"

He gave a courteous bow. "I make a point not to engage ladies in games of war." He returned her incredulous look with a small smirk. "My lady is no exception, no matter her skills."

She set down her drink long enough to return her foil and fencing gear to their hooks on the wall, then scooped the bottle back up and moved across the room to stand before him, giving him what she hoped was her most condescending glare. "And why is that?" she asked, finishing her water.

"I find they present little challenge." Brushing a strand of brown hair out of his eyes, he flashed her a crooked smile. "But to be fair, I was quite impressed by my lady's form. It is no wonder you are feared by your prey."

She chuckled in spite of herself. "My mother was a great teacher, and only hired the best to teach me when she found herself unable to tend to my lessons."

"Ah yes, Sir Integra..." Seiryu folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall, a look of nostalgia with a hint of a sneer on his handsome face. "She was indeed a most...formidable foe."

"Fight her a time or two yourself, did you?" she asked, watching him carefully.

"Not the dame herself," he replied, his voice growing dark. "Her dog."

"Ah...you must be referring to Alucard. Although... I'm not so sure he would appreciate the likes of you referring to him as such."

"Whatever he chose to call himself, a dog is exactly what he was: a miserable excuse for a creature of the night that enslaved himself to humans simply to be used as a puppet of war." Cocking his head to the side, he added, "Besides, how would you know? The fool was dead long before you were born."

"My mother spoke of him often enough."

"Your mother was subject to a very prominent bias," he snorted. "After all, love makes imbeciles of even the most intelligent people."

"My mother? In love with a vampire?" She snorted a laugh. "Hardly. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go clean up."

Before she could turn and head for the door, Seiryu reached out and laid a heavy hand on her shoulder, turning her back to face him. "This is not a matter to be taken lightly," he said darkly. "Your mother's rash decision to resurrect the vampire king was what sparked the war between London, the Vatican and the last battalion. Had she left him in that cellar, millions upon billions of lives would have been spared." A sneer curled his lip. "But I'm sure she never mentioned any of that."

Her lip twisted in mild disgust, and she shrugged his hand from her shoulder. "I don't know about any of that. However, I do know that if she hadn't released Alucard when she did, she would have been killed and her wretch of an uncle would have become the head of the Hellsing organization. Besides, in all likelihood, Millennium probably would have attacked London anyway, and Hellsing would have been nearly defenseless."

"The Major had a personal vendetta against Alucard, and Alucard alone, stemming from 50 years prior when Hitler first rampaged across Europe. Millennium, the Vatican, and even your mother's own butler and protector, Walter, all collaborated to bring down one monster of a man."

"The Major was a warmonger who merely wished to continue what his Fuhrer started years ago. Either way, I don't really want to debate what would have happened; no amount of speculation can change the past."

"It matters if you are planning to try to find Alucard," Seiryu growled. "Is that how you plan to face the threat at hand?"

"That's none of your concern," she snapped. "Now, are you going to get out of my way, or do I have to call the guards?"

Before Seiryu could reply, a soft knock came at the door, followed by Seras venturing a soft, "Anna..?"

She turned her gaze to the door, relieved by the sudden interruption. "Ah, Seras. Do you need something?"

Noticing Seiryu standing in the corner of the room, the draculina's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. However, she managed to shake off whatever thoughts darkened her gaze and returned her attention to Anna. "There are, ah, just a few matters that require your attention. Nothing immediate, but I figured you would like to get them finished before your meeting with the Queen this afternoon."

Seiryu raised an eyebrow, and then offered a stiff bow to Anna. "I would, of course, be happy to escort you, given the current circumstances," he offered.

"No no, I assure you, I am certain I will be able to handle things," Seras said hurriedly. "After all, these matters are much too mundane for a man of your...uh...status." Anna, I really believe you should insist on leaving him behind, she thought to Anna, keeping her eyes trained on Seiryu with forced cheerfulness. There is a...person...who has requested an audience with you and wishes that you come alone.

She nodded to her subordinate. Understood. "Seras is right, Seiryu. There is no need for you to come as well. We shall be fine." She headed towards the door. "Seras, I'm going to shower. I will, however, be ready in one hour, and I will meet you in my mother's...I mean...my office." Brushing past Seiryu, she started for the door.

Muttering a noncommittal sound of agreement under her breath, Seras held the door open for her master, and then followed her out. I really think you should attend to this matter immediately, she urged, red eyes flicking a furtive glance over her shoulder. This man claims to have information...about Alucard.

Anna's eyes darted to her subordinate. Despite her obvious reservations about her new companion's intentions, his ominous words still echoed through her mind. ...I see. Where is he?

I directed him to your office. Seras cast her a sidelong look. However...it was quite strange, sir. He looked human enough, but I sensed something was off about him. Additionally, while he asked that your meeting be kept private, he was adamant that Seiryu, specifically, would not be present. I assured him he would not be, but I couldn't help but wonder...why?

Maybe we can find that out. He may have wanted it private but I want you there regardless. She stopped at the door to her office, hesitating with her hand on the knob as she turned once more to her friend. Do you think this is another dead end?

I can only dare to dream. The young vampiress' eyes were fixed on Anna's, yet they seemed to look straight past her. It had been so long since her master had disappeared... She shook her head, clearing it of those pesky, lonesome thoughts. It was foolish to hope. "Let's just go in," she said aloud, hoping to alert their 'guest' to their presence so he could prepare himself for the meeting at hand.

Anna nodded, then pushed open the door, scanning the room for her guest. "You asked to see me?" she said casually, walking over to the desk and silently taking her seat.

A man dressed head to toe in black emerged from the shadows. Long black hair framed a sharp, dark-complected face lacerated by a single, jagged scar that emerged from the bottom left of tinted sunglasses and came to a rugged end just above his jaw. His stance was extremely defensive, and both Seras and Anna could sense his eyes darting furtively through the opening of the door as it closed behind them. "I thought you were going to come alone," he growled under his breath, his frantic gaze finally falling maliciously on Seras.

Anna attempted to appear unfazed by his menacing tone. "I'm sure you understand my decision to take precautions, since I don't exactly have a reason to trust you, Mr...?"

"You don't need my name, just what I am offering." He pointed to Seras. "Which you will not receive if she remains in this room."

"Why don't I just stand outside?" Seras offered hesitantly. "I won't be listening for specific conversation, but if you need me, I will be only a thought away."

"I can accept that, so long as she is not in earshot of a quiet discussion," he sputtered, waving his hand in hurried irritation. "Decide quickly, though, because I haven't much time."

The young Hellsing eyed him warily, desperately trying to decide what her mother would do in such a predicament. "Check him," she ordered.

The man's eyes narrowed. "I assure you, if I desired to end your life, I would not need a weapon."

Seras chewed her lip and glanced sideways at Anna, who concealed clenched fists beneath desktop. "Very well," she grated. "Seras, please wait outside."

The blonde draculina bowed slightly, then quietly slipped out of the room.

Anna waited till the latch of the door clicked shut before turning back to her guest. "Well?"

"You seek word of Alucard, do you not?" he asked quietly.

"I do...and do you have anything you can offer?"

"I do indeed. In fact, I can tell you how to bring him back, should my party's terms be met."

Anna drew a sharp breath, then attempted to regain her composure, silently berating herself for allowing the man to see her interest in his proposal. "And what...pray tell...are those terms?" she grated.

"The one I serve is a vampire destroyed long ago by hunters of old," he responded quickly. "She seeks to return to this world, but cannot do so without a drop of pure, virgin blood given willingly from the world of the living. Knowing that most inhabitants of the human world would be...hesitant...to give up such a precious commodity, she thought she would find a person to whom she could offer something of value." Reaching a hand into his coat, he pulled out a neatly rolled scroll bound in crimson ribbon. "I hold in my hand the method by which you may return Alucard to this plane. I will give it to you in exchange for a simple vial of your blood."

Are you listening to this, Seras? she asked silently, carefully keeping her face expressionless as she considered his offer. Bring another vampire back from the dead? For what, to return the most dangerous creature the world had ever known back into existence? She felt her resolve wavering. What if Alucard wasn't the loyal antihero her mother had always made him out to be? What if Seiryu's claims were right? Would she be responsible for bringing about the return of the creature the entire world had conspired to destroy?

She cleared her throat, shaking the doubts away with a toss of her golden mane. She would simply have to trust her mother's judgment, no matter how many questions she might have. "That's all? I give you some blood and you give me a scroll with information?"

"Do you really want to jeopardize this deal by conversing with your sad excuse for a minion?" he growled. "You're not as discrete as you think you are."

Anna's cheeks flushed, and she found herself at a loss for words. "She is under strict orders not to disclose any of my personal matters," she sputtered at last, mentally kicking herself for her stupidity. "Rest assured, whatever she learns of this deal will not escape her lips."

"After I have departed, what you do with the information contained in this scroll is you prerogative. Until I have gotten what I was sent to retrieve, this will stay between us, or you will not get what you want. It is as simple as that." A long, gloved finger was jabbed toward the clock. "You have one minute to decide. I am not a patient man."


	4. The Choice

Anna glanced at the clock. The second hand leered back at her, mocking her doubts with every silent tick toward the time limit. She found herself thinking that she had no right to make a decision of this magnitude, only to bitterly remind herself that the responsibility to make the important decisions would be hers now and for many years to come. "I take it you have the vial that you need?" she asked at last, turning her eyes back on him.

A malicious grin spread across his lips. "Indeed." With a swift wave of his hand, a tall, onyx flask encrusted with rubies appeared on the desk in front of her. Tucked into a leather string tied around the neck of the bottle was a small, silver dagger only as long as her finger. "You need only provide a few drops...and the scroll will be yours."

The girl chewed her lip as she eyed the seemingly innocuous object before her. "How do I know that what is on that scroll is going to be of any use?" she asked warily, trying to stall for time even as she retrieved the dagger from the cord.

"Thirty seconds," he reminded her dryly.

She sighed, defeated. "Done answering questions, aren't you?" Swallowing hard, she squeezed her eyes shut and drew the razor sharp blade across her fingertip. A few drops of crimson blood welled up atop her soft skin, shimmering ominously in the waning sunlight. Her guest kept his face carefully expressionless as he quickly removed the stopper from the vial. Anna gave him one last baleful look, then slowly placed her wound over the small opening, letting a few drops of blood drip into the flask.

The moment she drew her hand away, the man returned the stopper, and the vial disappeared from her grasp in a puff of smoke. "The deal is done," he said smugly. With a snap of his fingers, the tightly bound scroll appeared in her hand. "I must say, you've made the right decision...for now." Sneering to himself, he waved his hand between them and was quickly enveloped in a veil of black smoke, which soon faded into the familiar surroundings of her office.

"Somehow...I doubt it," she murmured, setting the scroll carefully on the desk before her. Pulling a handkerchief from her breast pocket, she sat back in her chair, pressing the delicately embroidered cloth to her injured fingertip. "Seras, you can come in now."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the vampire girl had flung open the door, darting across the room to stand by her side. "What does it say?" she demanded, using every last ounce of self-control to keep from snatching the scroll from in front of Anna.

"I haven't looked at it yet." Dabbing her wound one last time to make sure the bleeding had stopped, she wrinkled her nose and dropped the handkerchief into the trash.

"Why not?"

"I'm...still not so sure I did the right thing," she said softly. "I tried to ask myself what mother would have done, but in all honesty...I wasn't sure." She let out a mirthless laugh. "I never wanted anything to do with any of this."

"Bringing Alucard back is the right choice," Seras assured her quickly, trying to keep the impatience from her voice. "Your mother would have done the same thing."

"I hope you're right." Taking a deep breath, she slowly reached out and picked up the scroll, carefully removing the crimson tie and unrolling the parchment. Seras leaned over her shoulder, and the two began to read.

Annabel Integra Hellsing:

Near the end of the battle of London, the soul of the vampire Alucard was fragmented into millions of pieces. The absorption of Warrant Officer Schroedinger released the souls of the familiars he had gathered, scattering them around your world. This shattered consciousness has prevented him from recognizing himself in any one place, and therefore, while he is everywhere and nowhere, he is effectively nowhere. He has been killing these wretched souls one by one in order to return to your plane; however, he has been unable to return thus far because the final soul does not lie within his reach. This soul has been placed well outside the mortal plane to prevent his return. However, since you have obviously helped me, I shall help you in kind. This final soul will be returned to your plane at 3 AM tomorrow morning by your mother's grave. Find her, and you will find Alucard.

Anna lowered the scroll, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What on earth does this mean? Who was warrant officer..." She scanned the letter for the name. "...Schroedinger? What does he have to do with Alucard?"

"Sir Integra never told you?" Seras asked, surprised.

"I..." She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. "I never paid much attention to mother's stories," she muttered.

The blonde draculina shook her head in wonder. "With all due respect, Anna, maybe you should have listened a little more."

"It's a little late now," she said acidly, shooting her an irritated look. "So please, can you fill me in on what I've missed?"

"Sorry, ma'am." Seras bobbed her head in apology, then clasped her hands behind her back. "Warrant Officer Schroedinger was a creature who was, quite literally, a real world representation of the theoretical Schroedinger's cat. He was a being whose very existence rejected the laws of life and death; indeed, he was everywhere and he was nowhere. As such, he could be anywhere, so long as he could recognize himself."

"What does this have to do with Alucard?" she repeated impatiently.

"I'm getting to that," she mumbled. "Alucard lost the majority of his familiars when Alexander Anderson, leader of the Vatican's secret anti-freak operation, struck him with a blessed blade after using a holy artifact to become a monster of God. In an attempt to restore his strength, Alucard began to drain the blood of the city from the streets."

"Sounds revolting." Anna's lip curled in disgust.

"...yes, ma'am. Anyway, under the command of the Major, Schroedinger took his own life, allowing his blood to mingle with the blood of the city. Alucard took this tainted offering with the rest, and...disappeared." She gestured to the roll of parchment, which had curled itself around Anna's hand. "We were never really sure how it had happened. This certainly explains a lot."

"Indeed." The young Hellsing sighed, dropping the scroll back onto the desk. "Seras...I may have never known Alucard as you and my mother once did, but I can't help but wonder if this fact gives me a less biased perspective. You speak of Alucard drinking the blood of the city as if it's nothing. To be perfectly honest, the thought terrifies me. I am aware that he is bound to serve my family, and I did listen to enough of my mother's stories to accept that he was completely and utterly loyal to her. However, I am not my mother. If I am not strong enough to control this monster, what is to stop him from showing his true nature?"

"Forgive me, ma'am, but where were these reservations when that demon approached you yesterday?" Seras asked, knitting her brow as she attempted to speak as delicately as possible. "You know nothing about him, and yet you have invited him into your home with almost no inhibitions."

"He saved my life," she shot back through gritted teeth. "And he had important information. What was I supposed to do? Besides, my men are keeping a close eye on him."

Seras spread her hands wide. "What can a few humans do against a demon like him? Listen to me, Anna, that...creature...is much more powerful than you or I are prepared to handle. At least you know your mother and I trusted Alucard; you know nothing of this stranger."

Anna searched for some sort of rebuttal, but could think of none. Once more feeling the hot flush creep across her cheeks, she cast one last withering look at the scroll before snatching it from the desk. "Fine. We leave at 0200 hours."

Seras nodded, recognizing the unspoken acquiescence in her superior's tone. "Does this mean you're going to follow this lead personally?"

"I figure this is a private mission that requires my personal attention."

"What mission would that be?" Without either woman noticing, Seiryu had slipped through the open door just in time to hear the tail end of the conversation. His brow was furrowed in what could almost be described as an anxious frown, and his arms were crossed tightly across his chest. "I'm not being left out of the loop, am I?"

Anna cast him an irritated look, silently wondering how much he had heard. "Seiryu...didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to enter a private office without permission?"

"When that person is quite likely acting against their better judgment to deny such permission, I am of the opinion that such formalities are no longer necessary," he replied flatly. "I was considerate enough to leave you to your 'work', but when I passed your office on my way to my quarters, I saw you enter and ask Seras to wait outside. This was most unusual, so I decided to see what was going on."

"For your information, it is not unusual for Seras to be elsewhere when I conduct business," she shot back, wondering briefly how he would assume to know what was 'usual' in the first place.

"You know this not to be true," he returned promptly. "Seras is constantly by your side, morning, noon and night. Not to say that this isn't a good idea; in your position, the young draculina alone is probably not enough. This is why I found it highly unusual that you asked her to wait outside." Noticing the scroll clutched tightly in her hand, he nodded toward it, taking a step further into the room. "What is that?"

"Nothing that concerns you." She handed the scroll to Seras, who accepted it silently and tucked it away. Narrowed red eyes were fixated on Seiryu, ready to spring into action should the need arise. Seiryu seemed not to notice.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with Alucard, would it?" he asked, forced nonchalance belied by hands balled into fists in the crooks of his arms.

"Indirectly yes. Why should that concern you?" she asked, noting his feigned indifference.

Seiryu took another step forward. "Anna, that monster was destroyed, and the world is better for it. Would you really bring a holy terror back from the grave, subjecting millions of lives once more to his tyranny, just to satisfy your own selfish desires?" By this point he was standing a few mere feet from Anna. His expression had melted into one that could almost be called pleading; soon enough, he had gracefully descended to one knee, head bowed as he rested one fist on the floor and the other on bended knee. "I would gladly serve as further protection for you," he said quietly. "I have watched you from afar for what seems like an eternity. Believe me when I say I will keep you safe from the threat at hand; the evil that is Alucard is no longer necessary. Please, you have to believe me."

What is his DEAL? Seras yelped through her mental link with Anna. His stance reminded her of Alucard kneeling before Integra, and she did not like the resemblance. He's been watching you from afar? What the hell does that mean? Tell him to get his ass off the ground and out the door!

"Oh, get up!" Anna snarled. "You are never to enter my office again without my permission. Now if you will both excuse me, I'm going to go change." Storming past him, she pushed open the door and started towards her room, leaving the vampiress and the demon alone in her office.

Rising slowly to his feet, Seiryu inclined his head ever so slightly, sapphire eyes now hard and cold. "As you wish," he murmured. Once she was out of earshot, his gaze shifted to Seras, who was silently gloating over Anna's blunt refusal of his affections. "I will simply glean the information from your servant." Before Seras could react, he had struck her from behind, sending her sprawling, unconscious, to the tile. "Come with me, little girl..." Leaning down to grasp her gingerly by the ankle, the two of them disappeared in a swirl of mist.

Anna showered quickly, then changed into a clean blouse and loose pair of cargo pants. Seras? she called silently, brushing out her hair and pulling it back into a bun.

There came no response.

She frowned and walked out of the bathroom, grabbing her belt and holster from the vanity and hooking quickly around her waist. Pulling the gun to make sure it was loaded, she checked the safety before strapping back into the holster. Seras, answer me immediately.

Still no reply.

The young Hellsing pursed her lips, then strode over to the door and threw back the bolt, pulling open the door and stepping out into the hall. Spotting one of her men dutifully manning his post at the end of the hall, she made her way to him and asked, "Have you seen Seras?"

"No, ma'am, I haven't," he replied humbly, giving her a slight bow. "Perhaps she has gone to her chambers?"

She nodded. "Perhaps. Thank you." She turned and started toward the sublevels.

"Looking for Seras, are you?" came Seiryu's voice. Upon further inspection of the hall before her, she could make out Seiryu standing beside a window overlooking the darkening courtyard. "I'm afraid she has gone without you to your mother's grave. She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry."

"Oh?" She clenched her teeth, attempting to seem unconcerned. "And did she happen to tell you why she was going there?"

He shrugged. "For some reason, that girl holds me in the utmost contempt. I found it unusual that she would leave you here to fend for yourself, though. Perhaps you might know why she would have left without you?"

"I do not." SERAS?

"How unfortunate," he mused, watching her expression darken with growing concern.

"Damn it," she muttered when her call was once again greeted with silence. Ignoring his remark, she turned on her heel and started back to her room.

"Where are you going?" Seiryu asked casually, easily falling into step behind her.

"To find Seras." Kicking open the door to her room, she grabbed the phone from the hook on the wall and dialed an internal number. "Hello? Yes, this is Annabel. I want a team of our best remaining soldiers assembled immediately. I will brief them in the entrance hall in exactly fifteen minutes. Do not keep me waiting." Slamming the phone back onto the receiver, she brushed past Seiryu, who had stopped just outside her doorway.

"If you'd like, I can accompany you on your way," he offered, following her once more down the hall. "After all... it's not safe for you to be out on your own at this time."

"That won't be necessary. My security team will be more than sufficient. "

"Do you really think your security team can kill a demon?" he asked wryly.

"They can certainly slow one down." Reaching the end of the hall, she started down the stairs, taking them two steps at a time. "Besides, I'd prefer someone to stay here in case Seras shows up before I get back." She looked back at him as she reached the bottom stair, wondering if he would call her bluff. "Any tips on how to kill a demon?"

Raising an eyebrow, he halted his descent and leaned against the mahogany banister, a look of exasperation twisting his lips. "Do you not remember how we originally met?" he asked incredulously. "I destroyed a demon right before your eyes. Tips?" He snorted. "I could kill an army of demons in the time it took me to explain one aspect of demon hunting to you."

She whirled around to face him, giving him an irritated look. "True, but I'm not about to depend solely on you for protection. So are you going to help or not?"

"If I don't get to accompany you, I'm not telling you anything. Either accept my company on this mission, or wander blindly into whatever awaits you."

"Then I will manage on my own." A small smile permeated her tight-lipped glare when she saw the look of frustration on his face. "You will remain here and wait for our return." Turning on her heel, she marched away from him toward the foyer, a mild sense of accomplishment putting a bit of spring in her step.

"Fine, have it your way," he called after her. "Keep in mind that you are searching for a monster you haven't even met; for all you know, he could only have been loyal to your mother, and will tear you to shreds the instant he has the opportunity." His long coat-tails rustled as he turned his heavy booted feet back up the stairs. "I hope you and your little playmates with guns know what you're doing."

She ignored his ominous remark, forcing herself to think only of the task at hand as she made her way toward the group of armed men waiting in the entrance hall.

((R&R.))


	5. The Girl in the Fire

((Authors' Note: One of our readers made a good point in the reviews regarding the pairing statement. I just wanted to say that the story has already been completely written; it is simply in the process of being edited. I don't want to give too much away, but please be assured, the pairing statement is correct...with some caveats. Patience, please! You'll see why we put that in the summary! Thank you!))

By the time they were ready to leave, it was well after one in the morning. It had taken several hours to finish debriefing the team of men she had managed to scrounge up from the bowels of the manor; the attack on the mansion of a few days past had left their numbers dwindling to well beneath a hundred experienced soldiers, leaving her with a few good men and a less than impressive gaggle of new hires. Her inexperience, coupled with the slightly startling revelation about the existence of vampires, had dragged out what should have been a short and easy debriefing into four hours of questions for which she barely had the answer, let alone the ability to articulate. However, with the help of one of her mother's regular bodyguards, she was finally able to get everyone on the same page.

"Thank you, Andrew," she muttered, rubbing her temple to try to ward off the headache that had been building in the back of her brain for the past hour and a half. "I'm not sure what I would have done without you."

The kind-faced older gentleman gave her a quick salute, then flashed her a reassuring smile. "You did well for your first debriefing," he said cheerfully, patting her lightly on the shoulder. "Your mother would have been proud."

"I keep trying to tell myself that." She watched the men talk quietly amongst themselves as they prepared for departure.

"Ah, lass, don't worry yourself. You'll find yourself used to it in no time. From what I've heard, your mother was only a wee girl herself when she took over this organization, and she did some incredible things, she did."

"Of course she did," she grumbled under her breath. When he gave her a questioning look, she shook her head. "Never mind. Go ahead and get the men out to the passenger terminal. We're taking the armored van, aren't we?"

"Aye."

"Good. I'll meet you there in a moment."

He gave her another salute, then called to the men, instructing them to follow him to the terminal. There was a rustling of booted feet, then the squad slowly filtered out of the room.

When the last of her team had disappeared down the hall, she let out a shuddering breath. All the frustration and anxiety she had been afraid to show in front of the men looking to her for direction was now obvious on her face and in her stance, and she allowed herself a brief, childish moment to kick viciously at the base of the stone wall.

"I really wish I was asleep right now," she muttered to herself, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in her toes. With a final sigh of resignation, she steeled herself against the unknown and started off after her team.

As she was heading for the looming darkness of the hallway, she noticed Seiryu standing by the entrance to the foyer, his tall, dark shape looming eerily in the shadows. "Still no sign of your pet?" he asked his tone cheery but forced.

Anna groaned inwardly. "No, and I'm worried about her. Have you seen her since we parted ways?" Uninterested in a lengthy conversation, she did not slow her pace.

"I went looking for her a while back. Even circled Integra's grave several times." Cocking his head to the side, he inspected his fingernails, seemingly unfazed by her obvious desire to keep moving. "My guess is that one of the demons got to her."

Anna stopped in spite of herself, an unprecedented wave of dread crashing over her already shaky resolve. "W..." She cleared her throat, willing the fear from her voice. "Wouldn't you have been able to...I don't know...sense them or something?" Her fists clenched at her sides as she waited for his response. If Seras Victoria was no match for these creatures, what hope did she have?

"Only if they are in the immediate vicinity. Should your toy vampire have decided to wander outside of these walls, chances are I would be unable to sense an impending attack."

"Seras..." She swallowed hard, feeling hot tears stinging the backs of her eyes. She felt his hands close around her shoulders, and she steeled herself against his touch.

"Your team of inexperienced men are no match for a demon," he murmured, his thumbs making slow circles on her army-style jacket. "Please, let me come with you. You have my word that I will obey your every command without question. I simply wish to protect you."

Blinking rapidly, she chewed her lip and turned to give him a stern look. "...if you accompany me, you must promise you will not interfere with our mission, no matter what happens."

"As I said, you have my word."

She studied him a moment longer, then slowly nodded her head. "Alright, then. Let's go." Pulling out of his grasp, she ducked her head and resumed her hurried pace.

"Indeed," he murmured, waiting for her to put a few steps between them before starting off after her, the shadows of the dimly lit room obscuring the self-satisfied smirk that twisted his lips.

The night never seemed so dark as the compact armored car approached the field of the dead at the devil's hour. Stars pierced the blackness but offered little light, and the moon was no more than a starless pit of darkness against the night sky.

The quiet murmur of the state-of-the-art engine sputtered to halt as the driver stopped the vehicle in front of the gates to the cemetery, his eyes darting nervously to the digital clock on the dash as he announced their arrival in a quivering voice. Anna took a deep breath, wondering if her inhuman companion could hear her pounding heart.

"You first," she told him flatly, nodding toward the door. "Make sure we are clear."

Seiryu inclined his head, then grabbed the oversized handle and slid open the thick steel door. Sliding silently to the ground, he took a brief look around, then gestured idly toward the car. "There is nothing here."

Unable to suppress a sigh of relief, she unbuckled her harness and stood, securing her weapons twice before stepping cautiously out of the vehicle. "Come on, men," she called, attempting to sound confident when all she wanted to do was cry. "Let's get this over with."

Her team fanned out around her, weapons drawn as their eyes cautiously surveyed the area. Seiryu took his place at her side, and she found herself grudgingly grateful for his presence as they started across the grassy knolls.

After what seemed like an eternity of jumping at every crunch of a twig beneath their feet and terrified shots being fired at every whisper of the wind, they finally made it to the towering front doors of the Hellsing mausoleum. Anna fumbled for the keys, tugging them from her belt loop and fitting one into the lock. The bolt turned silently, and the door swung open before them, revealing the shadowy interior of the ancient house of the dead.

"Get the lights," she told Seiryu softly, returning the keyring to her belt and letting her hand come to rest on the butt of her pistol. No sooner had the words left her mouth than the old electric bulbs flickered on, the faint hum of electricity pulsing through ancient wires echoing quietly through the dusty chambers. The Hellsing coat of arms hung on its chains from the vaulted ceiling, casting a long shadow on the marble floor of the passageway between the burial rooms.

_We are on a mission from God._

Anna's eyes darted across her family's long standing declaration of purpose. "Right," she whispered. She found herself wishing she had grabbed her mother's cross pendant from her jewelry box.

The doors slid closed behind the group as they made their way into the heart of the mausoleum, reverently passing the stone coffins that lined the tiny rooms to either side. Candelabras caked with centuries of wax stood silent vigil next to the tombs, and the floor was littered with dried flower petals from generations of respectful visitors. The candles, however, were newly replaced, their tiny flames burning steadily in the dim light.

Silent dread weighed in Anna's heart as they approached the chamber at the far end of the hall. She had only just laid her mother to rest, and now she was back to tear open the wound once more. Avoiding the silent grave for just a moment more, her gaze flicked to Seiryu, whose eyes trailed along the names engraved on the fronts of the coffins, occasionally darting to the shadows flickering in the candlelight. "Sense anything?"

"Not yet."

She nodded, chewing her lip as the group finally approached the resting place of the deceased mistress of Hellsing. The stone carving of Sir Integra lay atop the casket, cold rendered hands folded serenely across her marble breast. Seiryu regarded the sleeping statue with disdain mixed with grudging respect, then turned to Anna. "The time is 2:45AM," he informed her calmly. "What do you plan to do, when the time comes?"

She paused, realizing that she had carefully planned for everything but the actual purpose of their mission. "I'm...not sure," she admitted. "Honestly, I'm not even sure what to expect."

"How do you intend to identify yourself to Alucard?" he persisted. "He has been gone from this world for so long that he doesn't even know you exist." He laid a heavy hand on her shoulder. "Just so you know," he said icily, "should he decide to turn on you, I will have no qualms with removing him from this plane once more."

She pursed her lips, then pulled out the necklace that had been tucked into her shirt, revealing a large, silver ring which bore the Hellsing crest. "This belonged to my great grandfather. Since we were unable to locate Seras, I suppose this will have to do." Tucking the trinket back into her collar, she gave her companion a stern look. "Additionally, you are not to make a move without my command. Do I make myself clear?"

"Your mother really did a number on your judgment when it comes to that freak," Seiryu growled. "To her, he was not merely a weapon; he was a beautiful, fallen angel of darkness that had hidden her heart away with her better judgment." The single candle burning in front of Integra's resting place fluttered as he blew out a snort. "I hope that you are not so foolish."

Anna paled, but forced herself to remain calm. "I asked if I made myself clear."

His lip curled into a sneer. "As you wish."

The family tomb fell silent. The dissonance of six different watches could be heard ticking away the seconds; soon it was 2:59AM, and everyone braced themselves for the unknown.

Finally, the minute hand of every watch reached the twelve. The distant toll of Big Ben sounded faintly in the darkness, dolling out three mournful tones. A dozen pairs of eyes exchanged fearful looks, and the sound of safeties being removed and barrels being cocked rustled through the room. Anna's gaze was riveted on the casket, a bead of sweat trailing down the back of her neck.

A cold wind trailed its fingers across the occupants of the room. The dim electric lights went dark. The flames from the other rooms flickered out one by one, and soon the only light in the room came from the single candle before them. Seiryu moved closer to Anna, and she found herself clutching at the hem of his sleeve. Andrew motioned to his troops, and they cocked their weapons in anticipation; the hour they had awaited was at hand.

The wind picked up, and the final candle went out in a puff of smoke.

However, the darkness lasted only a moment; in a sudden roar of flame, the candle was relit by an unseen specter, sending sparks flying toward the ceiling in a blaze of light. Anna let out a strangled cry, taking an unwitting step back as she shielded her eyes with her arm. "What's going on?" she demanded frantically.

Seiryu made no reply; he simply stared, unblinking, at the spectacle before him.

Anna bit her lip, then forced herself to turn her eyes back to the blaze.

A shadowy shape took form in the depths of the fire. A few moments later, she could barely make out the slender frame of a young girl. She seemed to be no older than twelve, with long black hair flowing in shimmering waves down her white-clad back. Straight cut bangs brushed her pale forehead, complemented by long black draped over large eyes as if in sleep. She hovered amidst the flame for a moment, then slowly came to rest at Anna's feet.


	6. The Master and the Servant

**((Authors' Note: Sorry this chapter took so long to edit. As you can probably see, it's a little bit longer than the others, thus the delay. Anyway, enjoy, R&R. We love hearing from you.))**

The unearthly blaze began to smolder and die, leaving the small company to stare in stunned disbelief at the small figure before them. Everyone shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to proceed; no one knew what to make of this young girl who seemed to be dreaming peacefully on the marble floor of the mausoleum.

Except one.

Seiryu's breath caught in his throat as he stifled an angry growl, eyes wide in the now-waning firelight. "How the hell?" he thundered. Completely forgetting that Anna was at his side, he lunged past her, almost knocking her to the ground as he attempted to reach the slumbering child.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"she demanded, barely managing to regain her feet in time to throw herself in front of the angry demon, stopping him in his tracks. "Stand down!"

"Get out of the way!" he roared. "This child can't be here!" All but shoving Anna to the side, he rushed to the foot of the casket, hurriedly reaching out to scoop the girl into his arms. However, before he could so much as touch her, her eyes suddenly flew open, a muffled cry escaping her lips in a spatter of blood. A crimson stream began to flow from her chest, staining the marble floor with a rich vermillion pool.

"N...no!" Seiryu shouted. "Fuck. Fuck!" Scrambling to his feet, he frantically scanned the room, then disappeared into the shadows.

Anna drew a sharp breath, watching the blood soak the floor with horrified eyes. Hastily pushing herself to her feet, she stumbled over to the girl, pressing her hands to the gaping wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. "Medic!" she gasped, throwing a frantic glance over her shoulder at the group of men who stood behind her, paralyzed with fear. "Somebody get a-"

Her plea was cut short as the body began to dissolve into shadow, and she felt her knuckles strike the marble floor of the tomb. The force she had applied to the girl's wound jarred her locked elbows, and she instinctively pulled her arms back to her sides. Unable to right herself before she lost her balance, she toppled toward the blood-soaked ground, squeezing her eyes shut as she braced for impact.

Before she could strike the unforgiving stone, a pair of strong hands hooked themselves gently beneath her arms, arresting her momentum and lifting her easily to her feet. "My master..." A deep, silky voice sounded from just behind her left ear. "Are you hurt...Master Integra?"

She felt her heart skip a beat at the sound of her mother's name. The dim light of the single candle illuminated the crimson pool at her feet; she was able to make out two gleaming eyes from the rippling surface of the bloody stain. Suddenly overwhelmed with fear, she desperately searched the room for Seiryu. The demon, of course, was nowhere to be found.

Behind her, one of the men finally managed to collect himself. He drew his gun and trained its sights shakily between the broad shoulders of the newcomer, his finger tightening on the trigger as he prepared to fire a blessed bullet.

"Stand down, soldier!" Andrew commanded hastily, reaching out to bat the muzzle of the gun toward the floor. "This is why we're here."

Anna swallowed hard, then slowly turned to face the man who had saved her from her fall. He towered a good foot and a half over her head, making her feel even smaller as she craned her neck to meet his burning red eyes.

"I...I'm fine," she told him hesitantly. "However, Integra was my mother. My name is Anna. Annabel Integra Hellsing." She forced herself to give him a wan smile, willing the icy hands of dread to release their hold on her heart.

He raised a thin black eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her face. "I see. I must have been gone longer than I thought." The hems of his Victorian duster rustled about his booted feet as he swept her a small bow. "Then I must request that you direct me to your mother. I'm afraid I have to apologize for taking so long to return to her."

She heard the men behind her exchange uneasy glances; she bit her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. She had hoped that he would have already known of her mother's death, and that she would be able to avoid this conversation altogether. "That...won't exactly be possible," she murmured. Pivoting slowly on the slippery floor, she cast a mournful look at the casket that stood silently against the wall. "My mother was killed...just a few days ago."

Alucard froze, red eyes wide in the darkness. "...killed? My master...was killed?" Gloved hands clenched and unclenched at the end of trembling arms as his gaze fell, unseeing, to the floor. "H...how...my master...my Integra..."

Though she knew there was no possible way he could have returned before this moment, the irrational part of her wanted to pound her fists into his chest with as much strength as she could muster. Cry. Scream at him for not being there to protect her mother when she needed it the most. Sequestering these childish thoughts beneath a heavy sigh, she steeled herself and went on. "We aren't exactly sure. The latest theory is that a demon attacked the manor, since there seem to be so many of them running at the moment. Unfortunately, most of our forces were decimated along with her, so we have no way to know for sure. I'm sorry, but I don't have a better answer for you."

"A demon." Sharp fangs glistened in the flickering light as he spat the words through gritted teeth. "A threat Hellsing has never faced before. How very interesting." Turning back to her, his furious gaze softened, and he reached out to lightly brush his fingertips along the edge of her jaw. "You look just like her," he murmured. Seeming perplexed, he let his arm drop to his side, his eyes fixated on everything and nothing as he lost himself in thought.

Anna watched the barely detectable emotions flash across his stoic face, uncertain of what to make of him. Mostly, she saw anger in those cold red eyes. However, it was the small flickers of pain that made her rethink the scathing blame she wanted to cast upon him. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Alucard...can you reach Seras? She's been missing since yesterday."

"Seras Victoria?" His brow furrowed as he cocked his head back to give her a scrutinizing look. "I should think it was your duty to know her location. You are the new leader of the Hellsing organization, are you not?"

Her animosity toward him returned in force as her cheeks burned red at his poorly disguised jab at her competency. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I have the innate ability to know the position of my subordinates at all times."

"One such as Seras should never find herself anywhere without your knowledge and express consent," he said icily. "A weapon is of no use to its master if its master is too incompetent to remember where she placed it."

"Well, I'm sorry, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm kind of new at this job," she snapped back. "And I don't exactly take her with me when I go to take a shower, which is when she disappeared. It's not my fault that she-"

"You sound like a petulant child," he sneered. "Tell me, little girl, do you honestly expect to command my loyalty and respect with petty excuses for your shortcomings?"

Her mouth flopped open, then snapped shut as she gave him a withering look.

"I thought not. Perhaps there is hope for you yet." He went silent for a moment, his gaze turning inward as he searched for the young draculina. "It would seem she's been locked in the dungeon of Hellsing manor," he said at last, returning his eyes to hers in time to see her crumple with relief. "She is under a powerful spell. She always was a careless girl..."

Forcing herself to swallow her pride, she gave him a stiff nod. "I see. Thank you." Eager to escape his scornful stare, she quickly turned to leave, brushing past him as she gestured to the bloody mess on the floor. "Get someone to clean this up," she ordered hastily, avoiding Andrew's sympathetic eyes as she made her way back toward the entrance.

The older man nodded after her, signaling a few of his men to follow her back to the car. When he was sure they had caught up to her and were escorting her out, he turned back to the rest of his troop with a crooked smile. "You heard the lady. Let's get this place cleaned up."

Ignoring the men as they prepared to go about their work, Alucard glided listlessly through the pool of blood to stand in front of Integra's casket. The crimson liquid glimmered dully in the light of the candle, then was drawn from the floor without a trace as his booted feet passed silently through it, eliciting a low, uneasy murmur from the team of agents who had recoiled in fear. Placing a hand on the stone statue's cold face, the vampire king let himself slide to his knees, his chin coming to rest on the edge of the heavy lid. "Forgive me, my master..." he whispered, a slender finger tracing the contours of the marble cheek. "Your servant has failed you." Letting his hand drop from the statue, he folded his arms atop the cool surface of the casket and laid his head upon them. "...Integra...I should never have allowed myself to disobey your final order."

Anna paused about halfway down the hall, chewing her lip as she cast a furtive glance over her shoulder. Seeing Andrew and the other soldiers standing uneasily at attention outside of the chamber, she frowned and made her way back to the group. She was about to ask what the holdup was when Andrew nodded wordlessly to the casket, where Alucard kept silent vigil over his fallen mistress. "Wait for me by the door," she murmured, feeling her scorned heart soften as her eyes glided across his slumped frame. "We'll be along in a moment."

When the men had found their way back to the entrance, she took a deep breath and walked over to Alucard, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We all miss her," she said quietly.

"But it was I who was sworn to protect her." Heaving a frustrated sigh, he shoved himself to his feet, his pentagrammed glove puckering angrily as his fingers clutched at the smooth stone of the casket. "I was her loyal servant, her protector, her weapon and her shield. Now, because of my selfish lust for battle, she is dead."

She gave his shoulder a slight squeeze. "She won't have died in vain. We will find the one who did this, and we will make them pay."

He ground his fangs together in a ferocious snarl. "I assure you, I will tear the bastard limb from limb, impale his body on a spearhead, and let him bleed out on the battlements of the Hellsing manor. However, in the meantime, it would seem I have a new master." Gently shrugging her hand from his shoulder, he removed his hat and knelt at her feet, dark hair glimmering in the candlelight as he bowed his head. "I am yours to command," he told her hollowly.

She sucked in a shallow breath, her eyes darting uncomfortably around the room as she cleared her throat. "I uh...appreciate the gesture, Alucard, but please, get up. If it's alright with you, I would like to get home and get Seras out of the dungeon. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you. She's been very worried about you."

He snorted, rising to his feet and placing his wide brimmed fedora back on his head. "That idiot," he growled. "Where the hell was _she_ when my master was killed?"

Ignoring the twinge of guilt she had been pushing to the back of her mind for days, she averted her gaze and prayed he hadn't noticed. "With me," she muttered. Feeling his red eyes boring into her soul, she ducked her head and turned back toward the exit, moving away from him as fast as she could manage without betraying the shame that threatened to overwhelm her.

Alucard watched her retreat through disdainful eyes. "She should never have left our master's side," he growled. His gaze fell upon his pentagrammed glove, and he clenched his fist. "Then again, neither should I." Casting one final, mournful glance at the stone silhouette of his master, he followed Anna out of the mausoleum. She had already caught up with the rest of her team, and the group was making its way back toward the car waiting anxiously at the entrance to the cemetery. The vampire king paused at the door, his hand resting softly on its ancient surface as he flicked his eyes across the chambers of the resting titans. "I will protect her in your place, my master," he promised quietly. "I will keep her safe until I am forced to dream once more." The door slipped from his fingertips, the lock sliding silently into place as he faded into the darkness.

Moments later he reappeared next to Anna, who had just hiked one foot up into the car and was preparing to pull herself inside. His sudden presence made her jump, and she had to scramble to keep herself from tumbling back onto the sidewalk.

"God, don't...don't do that!" she yelped, pressing her hand over her thundering heart. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"My apologies," he said acidly, lip curling slightly in the shadows. "It's easy to forget how little experience you've had with creatures of the night."

"Seras doesn't do that," she snapped, scowling at him as she turned once more toward the interior of the armored car.

Alucard rolled his eyes, but decided to remain silent. Once his charge had settled onto the bench, he glided easily up the steps and took the seat across from her. The rest of the troop filtered into the vehicle; Andrew brought up the rear, signaling to the driver as he pulled the heavy steel door shut behind him. Soon the car was rolling quietly through the streets of London, silent except for the dull purr of the engine beneath their feet.

Anna watched the street lights streak by, her head resting tiredly against the headrest of her seat as she vaguely wondered what time it was. All she wanted was to close her eyes and forget the world for just a little while...

The sound of Andrew quietly clearing his throat shook her from her thoughts. "Madam Hellsing," he said cautiously. "The one who calls himself Seiryu did not return with the rest of the team."

"I know, Andrew," she grumbled, closing her eyes as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I haven't seen him since just before Alucard's return. Some protector."

The vampire king's eyes narrowed, their crimson irises bathing her face in eerie red light. "What are you talking about?"

Anna hesitated. Seras' words of caution were ringing loudly in her ears, and she found herself loathe to dig herself deeper into the bowels of his disapproval.

"Well?"

"He's a demon," she muttered at last, dropping her hand back into her lap. "Shortly after my mother was killed, he saved me from yet another demon attack that even Seras was not able to detect. He claims to have worked for my father before he died, as part of the United States Anti-Freak Operation, anti-demon division...or something like that." Seeing the disparagingly skeptical look on her new companion's face, she flushed and hastily barreled on. "He was bound to my father like you were bound to my mother. His last order was to protect us from the demon threat they were unable to contain in the States. He didn't get here in time to save my mother, but-"

"...and this didn't seem the slightest bit suspicious to you?" he asked incredulously.

"He saved my life!" Her fists clenched together, their knuckles white in the darkness. "Seras didn't even see the threat coming! You weren't there, what the hell was I supposed to do?"

"Did it ever occur to you that this demon, this 'Seiryu', may himself have carefully orchestrated the attack on your mother and subsequently on you in order to invade the Hellsing estate?" He eyed her with disdain. "Are you a fool?"

The car lurched to the stop. She heard the driver get out of the front seat, and she busied herself with loosening her harness. Yet again her face burned with embarrassment, and once more she found herself at a loss for words. She avoided his gaze until the rest of the team had exited the vehicle, then followed them out into the terminal.

"I suppose you have no answer," he sneered, sliding through the side of the car without bothering with the door. "I would have thought my master would have taught you better than that."

She paused at the entrance to estate, her fingers clenched tightly around the steel handle. "I thought it would be best to keep an eye on him. I'm sorry if you do not approve." Shoving open the door, she started off down the ancient underground passageway toward the dungeons.

"Yes, because you and a handful of men are more than a match for a demon," he snorted, watching the would-be soldiers gather around Andrew for a tired debriefing before fading through the door to follow after his charge. "I'm beginning to wonder if you've set me up for a babysitting job, my master," he muttered to the stale air of the Hellsing sublevels.

She ground her teeth in frustration and ignored him. Coming to the cast iron door at the end of the hall, she reached out and gave the rusted handle a tug, scowling when it didn't budge. "I don't suppose you can get this open," she asked him sullenly.

Alucard snickered quietly, then reached past her to place a pentagrammed hand on the handle. There was an earsplitting crunch; cascades of disintegrated rust poured from the door frame, revealing the dank shadows of the dungeons in a reddish gray cloud of smoke.

Anna coughed and pressed her sleeve over her mouth, peering through watering eyes into the darkness as her free hand searched blindly for the light switch. Finally her fingertips connected with the handle of the old fashioned switch box, and she yanked it down into the on position. A single bulb suspended from a long wire sputtered to life above her head, its mate flickering on just around the bend in the corridor. "After you," she muttered, stepping off to the side so he could lead the way.

He slightly inclined his head, then slipped silently past her and started off down the long, dusty corridor. The ancient passageways surrounded him with a familiar decadence; the scent of wet mold, dead rodents, and long-dried blood was almost nostalgic. Shaking off his thoughts, he approached the door to his former cell, a smirk turning his lip as he admired the irony. "Let's see what you've gotten yourself into this time, Police Girl..." he chuckled. Reaching out a gloved hand, he turned the iron knob, freeing it easily from 30 years' worth of rust. Once the door was open, he offered Anna a slight bow, gesturing for her to enter. "After _you_, my master."

"Any chance I can get you to stop calling me that?" she grumbled, sliding past him to enter the room. "Your master was my mother; I'm just Anna."

"It is not my wish to call you by your name," he replied emotionlessly. "Thus far, you have proven yourself to be a child in need of constant supervision, and were you not the daughter of my master, I would find you quite repulsive in your stupidity. However, if you command it, I will comply."

The young Hellsing rolled her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. "Fine. Just do whatever." Willing herself to remain calm, she slowly returned her attention to the task at hand, her gaze slowly scanning the dimly lit room until it fell upon the casket on the far side of the room.

Seras lay sprawled across Alucard's long disused coffin, red eyes wide, dull, and staring lifelessly at the ceiling. Her hands were poised at her sides as if to ward off some unseen assailant, but her body was still as the grave. Anna felt a wave of guilt as she took in the unsettling scene, her hand flying to her lips as she stifled a miserable groan.

Alucard, however, seemed unconcerned.

"Hmm." The no life king moved past Anna's trembling figure, crossing the cell in a few elegant steps to stoop at his servant's side. "How very interesting," he said to himself, running a slender finger down her arm.

"What? What is it?" Anna demanded, forcing herself to take a few hesitant steps forward. "Is she alright?"

"Does it look like she's alright?" he muttered.

"Well, no, but...I mean...what I meant was...is there anything I can do to help?" Steeling herself against her feelings of anger and inadequacy, she swallowed hard and made her way to the other side of the coffin.

"As a matter of fact, there is." Cocking his head to the side, he cast her a leering look. "I don't suppose you've ever fed her, since I'd imagine that was a privilege reserved only for Sir Integra."

"F...fed her?" The young Hellsing ascendant met his gaze with wide eyes, unable to suppress the disgusted curl of her lip as the prospect roiled in her mind. "I...I don't...I never thought..." Her hands twisted behind her back.

"Of course you didn't." Alucard settled back onto his haunches, amused by the distaste that was evident on her now-pallid features. "Well I'm assuming you _do_ want to save her, correct?"

"Of course."

"You know that vampires drink blood, do you not?"

"I'm naive, not an idiot," she snapped. "For all her success as a leader, my mother was never a very good teacher. So please forgive me if I'm a little behind. Now, if you would kindly stop being an ass and explain what I have to do, we can help this poor girl before I die of old age."

He smirked, then briefly closed his eyes with a slight nod of his head. "As you wish." Picking up her hand, he gingerly removed her glove, his breath rushing between his lips with a quiet hiss as her flesh was bared to the stale dungeon air. "You need only cut your finger," he said breathlessly, unaware of the lusty quality of his voice. "She requires only a few drops of pure, virgin blood."

She drew in a deep breath to steady herself, then reached into one of the pouches on her utility belt to retrieve her army knife. "Are you sure this will help her?" she asked, then bit her tongue when she saw the incredulous look in his crimson eyes. "...right." She blew out a small sigh, then flipped open one of the silver blades and slid it across the pad of her finger. A thin line of blood slowly beaded up along the edge of the wound. Pursing her lips in dismay, she turned her attention back to the vampire king. "Okay...now what?"

He was silent a moment, his red eyes blazing in the dark room. She could see the powerful muscles of his jaw working in his cheek, his sharp fangs bared in a menacing grimace as he hungrily eyed her injured finger. For a split second, she felt an overwhelming desire to run.

After what seemed like an eternity, he finally regained control of himself. "My apologies," he murmured, the vermillion light fading from his eyes. Firmly taking her hand, he positioned her injured fingertip over Seras' open mouth, squeezing the base of her finger until a few drops of crimson blood fell onto the young vampiress' tongue.


	7. The Realization

**((A/N: Another really long chapter. This one was a bitch to edit as well; once again, I'm sorry for the delay in updating. This was originally a roleplay conducted by both of us authors, so there wasn't a whole lot of internal monologue, and a lot of the backstory was left out because...well, we knew it already. Haha. We've been having to go through and fill in the gaps paragraph by paragraph, which takes forever. Anyway, the point of this whole little rant is 'thanks for your patience!', so go ahead and enjoy. Also, thanks a lot to those of you who have reviewed. We really, really really appreciate the feedback!))**

A violent shudder wracked Seras' body as the blood touched her tongue, and she let out a strangled gasp. Anna yanked her hand back as if she had been burned, warily watching her servant and friend as her eyes began to blink rapidly, her pupils dilating and constricting as she struggled to focus.

"Wha...what happened?" she mumbled, bringing a trembling hand to her forehead.

"You were under a spell, Police Girl," Alucard replied irritably. "Worse yet, you allowed our young Master to ally herself with a demon after Sir Integra was killed. That you would let either of these things come to pass is unacceptable; you are an idiot."

"M...master...?" Seras scrambled to right herself, nearly falling off the coffin as she hastily straightened her uniform. Big blue eyes were wide with a mixture of hope and disbelief; she found herself reaching for him, her gloved hand trembling in the shadows. "...is it really you...?"

"It seems these years of peace have made you all a little soft in the head." Though his words remained harsh and unforgiving, his tone had become somewhat kindly, and he looked upon her with fond red eyes. "I have missed you, Seras."

"Master!" Without thinking, she threw herself at him, flinging her arms around his neck and burying her face in his crimson-clad shoulder. Her slender fingers clutched at the fabric of his coat as she held him close, blinking back the tears that threatened to stain his collar an even deeper shade of red. "I was beginning to think you were never coming back," she whispered.

The vampire king made no move to return her embrace, but neither did he pull away. "It was always only a matter of time," he murmured, his cold breath rustling the tips of her golden ponytail. "Unfortunately, time is the only thing man doesn't have in his impressive menagerie."

Now the tears flowed freely. The thoughts she had been desperately avoiding for the last few days had cornered her in the back of her mind, and she let out a strangled sob. "I'm sorry, Master...I'm so sorry. I wanted to be here with her, I really did. But I was under orders..." She backed up enough to slide one arm between them, swiping the back of her glove across her eyes. "I had to get Anna out of there. Integra would never have forgiven herself if something had happened to her...and neither would I."

Alucard said nothing. His gaze slowly traversed the room and settled upon the young heiress of Hellsing, who had trained her eyes stubbornly on the floor. Golden hair tumbled across her pretty face, all but obscuring the look of guilt and self-loathing that had plastered itself across her lips.

Feeling his carefully blank and yet somehow accusing stare settle on her hunched shoulders, Anna drew in a sharp breath, attempting to muster up the courage to meet his eyes. The nagging feeling that her mother's blood was on her hands burned within her heart; if only she had been stronger...

Finding herself unable to wrench her gaze from the floor, she opened her mouth to excuse herself. When her voice could not be found, she simply spun on her heel and rushed out of the cell.

"Coward," Alucard muttered.

Seras had quickly recollected herself and turned toward the door when she heard Anna's hurried footsteps flee into the hall. She bit her lip, letting the hand that had reached for her friend fall back to her side as she shot her master a sidelong look. "Sir...please. Despite her heritage, she is only a girl."

"Does not a prince inherit a kingdom upon the death of his father?" Alucard retorted, watching the old iron door slam back into place. "No matter his age nor his skill, does he not lead his soldiers into the battles of his ancestors? Even if he fancies himself a commoner, does not the blood of a prince rush through his veins? Annabel may have lived her life expecting to escape her family's trade, but the siren call of her bloodline cannot be ignored. Somewhere in that childish heart she knew that this day would come, but she chose to let her mother's teachings fall on deaf ears." The ancient stone crunched beneath his boots as he started for the door, his crimson coattails fluttering in his wake. "She knows that she has failed her mother. Now we'll see if she fails herself."

Seras watched with a heavy heart as he melted through the wall of the cell, her hands clasped in front of her as she briefly closed her eyes. "God give her strength," she whispered. Then, with a heartfelt sigh, she headed off after her master.

Anna didn't slow down until she had found her way back to the entrance to the dungeons. Gratefully grabbing the old iron handle, she disengaged the latch and placed her shoulder against the door, pushing against it until it loosened once more. Another shower of rust rained down on her head, but she paid it no mind. Blinking back the tears that may or may not have been caused by the rust particles in her eyes, she walked through the door and shoved it shut behind her. Without giving much thought to where she was going, she found herself wandering toward the fencing hall, her arms wrapped around herself as if to ward off a chill.

"Mom, I'm so sorry," she mumbled, ducking her chin to her chest as she walked. "You knew I wasn't cut out for this...I wish I was, but I'm just not." The double doors of the fencing hall approached her from the distance, and she idly pushed them open, stepping inside and letting them fall shut behind her. She leaned against the doorframe for a moment, closing her eyes as she tried to collect herself once more. "Come on, Anna," she muttered to herself. "No use worrying about it now. All you can do is your best. If that conceited, condescending vampire can't see that, it's not your problem." Steeling herself against her doubts, she pushed away from the door and strode across the hall, yanking her foil down from the wall and turning toward the center of the room.

No sooner had she swept a brief salute to her invisible opponent than a soft knock came at the door. "Anna?" Seras' voice floated across the empty room. "Can I come in-?"

"Don't be stupid, Police Girl. Of course you can go in." The tall, red-clad figure melted through the wall, turning back to look over his shoulder. "Come on."

Seras opened the door and entered the room, looking slightly disgruntled as she shot her master a withering look. "You know, I haven't quite mastered that little trick yet," she grumbled. "You don't need to rub it in."

Anna sighed and lowered the foil, hoping she would be able to disguise her roiling emotions as annoyance at the intrusion. "Yes?"

"I'm not trying to be a pain, but..." Seras gave her a worried look. "It's almost 4 in the morning. Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?"

"I'm not tired," she said dully. "But thank you for your concern." Turning to Alucard, she planted the tip of her weapon on the ground and raised an eyebrow. "And what do you want? Somehow I don't think you're here to make sure I go to bed."

"Me?" He snorted. "I came here to make sure you don't fall on your weapon and kill yourself. I am relieved to find you wielding a practice foil."

"For your information, I have been handling a sword since I was old enough to stand." She demonstrated a few of her favorite attacks with a flourish of her sword, then made her way back to the equipment hooks to hang up her foil. Turning back to her subordinates, she gestured to the vampire king. "Seras, why don't you take this opportunity to fill Alucard in on what has been going on since he disappeared?"

"There is no need." Alucard smirked at the confusion that flitted across her face. "The moment she was revived, I knew everything she knew, including all about this idiot who calls himself 'Seiryu'." Angling his head back, he leered down at her with a toothy sneer. "While not exactly a threat to me, he could have killed Seras without a second thought. What were you thinking, allowing him to enter this place? A demon has no power inside the walls of a man's house unless he is invited in."

"So you're saying that I should have told the creature that could turn my best bodyguard into a carpet stain to take a hike?" she asked incredulously.

"For one reason or another, he was obviously concerned with your safety," he replied calmly. "If you had ignored his entreaties and returned to the manor, he would not have been able to follow. Once inside the fortress of your estate, arrangements could have been made to have the demon exorcised from this plane."

"Well thanks, I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time I encounter a demon." She threw up her hands in defeat, shooting him an irritated but helpless look. "What do you want from me? I'm trying the best I can with what little information I have. I'm sorry I'm not my mother."

The no life king said nothing for a moment, his lips twisted into a bemused smile. Seras shot him a dirty look in response to some unspoken remark; he, of course, paid it no mind. "I wonder when that idiot will decide to show back up," he mused, letting his gaze wander to the door. "According to Seras, he has a bit of a thing for you."

"Don't remind me," she muttered. "As for when he will return, I have no way of knowing. Anyway, since I've apparently 'invited him in', is there a way to...you know, uninvite him?"

"To my knowledge, there is not. Barring a successful exorcism performed by a _very _competent priest – of which there seem to be painfully few – he can come and go as he pleases."

"Go figure," she sighed. "Thankfully he seems to be terrified of you, so I'm don't think he'd be willing to start any immediate trouble now that you're here. That being said, I think it would be best to play along with him for the moment. You know, see what he's up to." She managed to crack a smile as she finally met his gaze. "You _would _be able to fend him off if he should start something, right?"

A low, almost crazed laugh rumbled in his throat. "If he sets so much as one hair out of line, I will tear him to bloody pieces."

She nodded slowly, unsure if she should be reassured or concerned by the maniacal look in his blazing red eyes. "Anything else?"

"Not at the moment, considering he's standing right behind you." Alucard gestured over her shoulder, then folded his arms across his chest.

She felt a surge of adrenaline ignite her tired muscles. Whipping around to face the newcomer, she took a few steps back toward her subordinates, her hand twitching over the butt of her pistol as she gave him what she hoped was an infuriated look. "It's about time you decided to show back up," she barked through gritted teeth. "Any particular reason you decided to leave our team high and dry back there?"

"In a moment," he growled, never taking his eyes from Alucard's. "I see you have successfully found your way back to this plane, monster."

"Yes, imagine that," Alucard retorted, unperturbed. "Master, if you wish this man to be removed from your sight long enough to heal every bone in his body, you need only give the order."

"That won't be necessary...for now." Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm her thundering heart, she took her hand from her gun placed it on her hip. "Now, answer the question: why did you abandon our troop?"

"Yes, demon, why did you run away with your tail between your legs like a frightened dog?" Alucard chuckled, his fangs glistening in the artificial light. "Could it be...because you were afraid?"

"I have no fear of you, vampire," Seiryu spat, pushing his bangs out of his face.

"Oh, so?" Taking a menacing step forward, the ancient Nosferatu sneered as his advance drove the demon closer to the wall. "Then why did you take off the moment I returned to this plane? According to my young draculina, you claim to romantically attached to my little master. Surely you would not have left her side if not for shitting yourself in fear."

Realizing he had backed himself into the far corner of the room, Seiryu growled and forced himself to move forward, a crimson flush staining his cheeks. "There are circumstances of which none of you are as yet aware," he replied, forcing his tone to be calm and measured. "Your final familiar was not the only soul to return to the mortal plane this night. The vampiress Carmilla once more walks the earth."

Anna's brow furrowed. Taking a half a step back, she flicked her eyes over both Alucard and Seiryu, wondering what they were talking about. "Who's Carmilla?"

"Carmilla is an insect," Alucard chuckled, ignoring her question as if she had never asked. "Abraham van Helsing and I disposed of her easily 70 years ago, and I can easily do so again."

"Back then, you also had over three million souls within you with which to fight," Seiryu retorted heatedly. "Now you are a one-man castle, a vampire who is no longer able to take the lives of others as your own. You may be powerful, but you are a lone dracula; Carmilla, however, is free to feast on as many human souls as she wishes." He pointed an accusing finger at Anna. "And it all started with your blood."

Suddenly all three sets of eyes were trained on Anna, one disapproving, one astonished, and one scared. "...is this true, Anna?" Alucard asked quietly.

The young Hellsing paled. "... I'm not exactly sure." Her eyes darted over to Seras, pleading for help.

Sorry, Anna, she thought helplessly, shrugging her shoulders. I was outside the room when you received the scroll. I never knew how you got it.

"Did you give up your blood to bring me back or not?" Alucard prodded, brows furrowed in a deep frown. When she gave no immediate response, he narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, little girl." He re-crossed his red-clad arms, waiting.

Anna drew a deep breath, then lowered her gaze. "...yes. I did." Does he always treat people like they're misbehaved children? she asked Seras silently.

"Only when it's warranted," Alucard answered in her stead, irritation obvious in his tone. Seras shrugged helplessly, wishing she could make her friend feel better but knowing it was impossible.

Alucard watched the exchange between the two women, then blew out an exasperated sigh. "What's done is done," he grumbled. "I suppose the only thing left to do is what Hellsing does best." Reaching into the confines of his long vermillion coat, he retrieved the Casull, cocking back the barrel with a crazy grin. "You need only give the word, and I will kill. Give me your orders, my master, and I will, in the name of the late Integra Hellsing, search and destroy!"

Slightly relieved that he had decided to take her admonishment no furhter, she looked over at the vampire king and nodded. "Go, Alucard. Report to me when you can."

Letting loose a manic laugh, he swept his hat from his head and bowed before the young Hellsing. "As you wish, my master," he chortled. "Seras, remain here and make sure our 'friend' doesn't do anything stupid. I will return shortly." His body was enveloped in seething red shadows; thousands of bats erupted from the miasma, then dispersed in a screeching torrent of darkness through the various walls of the fencing hall.

"...does he really think it's going to be that easy?" Seiryu muttered to himself, watching the last of the vampiric masses disappear from the room. "What an idiot."

"You're just mad because my master isn't afraid of a vampiress whose name sounds like a candy bar," Seras huffed.

Anna hid a smile behind her hand, then looked over at Seiryu. "So, are you going to help at all, or are you just going cause trouble?"

"Oh yes, I have been here to cause trouble from the start," he muttered, his tensed muscles finally relaxing when he was sure the vampire king had gone. "I only tried to keep you safe, even from yourself." He cast a small smile at the far wall. "Your pet doesn't seem to want to fight me. He excused himself from acting upon his threat to destroy me just because you wouldn't give him permission."

"Had he considered you a threat, you'd be a shit stain on the floor before you could so much as look at Anna," Seras growled. Then, putting on a cheeky grin, she said, "He could always come back, you know."

Seiryu glared at her, but said nothing.

Anna looked back and forth between the two, then sighed and rolled her eyes. "And Alucard thinks _I'm_ a child" she muttered. "You know what, Seras? It _has_ been a long day, and I have to be up in a few hours. I think I will retire to my quarters." Her statement seemed to trigger her all but forgotten exhaustion; she stifled a yawn as she turned toward the door.

"I can keep watch if you'd like," Seiryu offered.

"Sure...just stay the hell out of my room." She cast her friend a glance over her shoulder. "And you, Seras?"

The young draculina didn't reply. Her eyes were trained wistfully on the ceiling, and she heaved an unconscious sigh.

Seiryu raised an eyebrow. "Seems our would-be monster has a fancy of her own," he snickered.

Anna frowned at Seiryu, then turned back to her friend. Earth to Seras.

"Hmm? What?" The girl blinked, coming slowly out of her reverie. "Did you say something?"

"Seiryu offered to keep watch while I take a brief respite. Can you accompany him and wake me if anything happens?"

"So we're just going to assume he's safe to have around, just like that?" she asked grudgingly, giving him a disgusted look out of the corner of her eye.

"I am as devoted to Anna as you are," he snapped back.

"Kinda creepy, considering you only officially met her two days ago."

"I've known her much longer than that...just from afar."

"Creeper."

"Think what you like. I wouldn't expect the likes of you to understand the first thing about love."

"Oh, for God's sake!" Anna snapped. "If you two are going to be like this, then I might as well forget about leaving you to yourselves and just finish my workout." Spinning on her heel, she went to reclaim her equipment.

"But you need to sleep," Seras protested, flitting across the room to stop Anna from taking her foil down from the wall. "You said it yourself, you have to be up in just a few hours."

"You act as if this is the first time I've pulled an all nighter," the young Hellsing grumbled, shrugging her friend off and retrieving the weapon anyway. "Two or three hours of sleep isn't going to make a difference; in fact, it will probably just make me more tired when I get up."

"Then at least do something that isn't going to wear you out more." Seras grabbed for the foil, curling her fingers around the base of the aluminum blade and holding it fast. "Please, Anna," she pleaded. "What if we have to face another attack? You don't want to be dead on your feet."

"...fine." Anna relinquished the sword, wrinkling her nose as she watched the blonde vampiress return the weapon to its hooks. "But I'm still not leaving the two of you alone. In fact, why don't you accompany me to the office? I'll spend the remaining hours before dawn looking over the rest of the paperwork."

"With your permission, I would like to join you as well." Seiryu started toward them, his eyes fixed disparagingly on Anna's companion. "Your life should not be entrusted to one as incompetent as this one, especially when her mind is obviously on...other things."

Seras sucked in a breath, her pale cheeks flushing a dull red in the overhead light. Can you please order him to go somewhere else? she asked silently, fixing him with a furious glare. He's really getting to me.

Anna raised an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes and turned to Seiryu. "I think I would feel better if you patrolled the grounds. Report back to me if anything seems out of the ordinary."

The demon narrowed his eyes, his gaze darting briefly to Seras before settling back on Anna. "...very well. I will check in on the hour." Giving her a stiff bow, he turned on his heel and exited the fencing hall.

"...thank you," Seras muttered, making a face at the door as it swung shut. "One more word out of his mouth and I swear I would hit him."

"Definitely warranted, but probably not the best idea." Anna waited for his footsteps to fade into the distance, then started for the door herself. "Though I have to admit, despite everything that's happened, I still don't quite know what to think of him."

Seras fell into step beside her, and the two women made their way toward the staircase. "Well, I know what I think. He's a cowardly excuse for a demon, and he is not to be trusted."

"I don't know. Alucard seemed to believe him when he said that vampire woman had returned." Her expression was thoughtful as she pulled open the door and started up the stairs. "Maybe there's more to him than what we think."

"Somehow I don't think that's a good thing. He's hiding something, and I want to know what."

Anna shrugged, but made no reply. Reaching the landing of the third floor, they turned and crossed the threshold into the hall, walking together toward the office in silence. Seras skipped a few steps ahead of her to open the door, and Anna passed her with a slight nod of thanks. To the young Hellsing's chagrin, the mounds of paperwork were exactly where she had left them the afternoon before, still in piles and entirely unperused. In addition, Andrew had left the group's individual reports on the edge of the desk, making the mountain of files seem even more daunting than before.

"No wonder mother smoked," she muttered. Gliding across the old wood floor to the desk, she pulled the cord on the lamp and sank into the worn leather chair, rubbing her temple for just a moment before gingerly removing the packet from the top of the pile. She began to scan through the lines of drab, unimaginative text, attempting to wrap her tired brain around its meaning even as it began to lull her to sleep. By the time she had reached the end of the first page, she found herself nodding off, her chin slipping slowly but surely from her hand.

"I just realized I didn't absorb any of what I just read," she chuckled dully, tossing the file back onto the desk and leaning back in her chair. When Seras gave no response, she turned her eyes upon her, finding her standing silently by the starlit window. "Something on your mind, Seras?"

"Hm?" She turned her gaze toward Anna, though their eyes never quite met. "Oh, no, it's nothing."

"You've been like this since Alucard left," Anna said gently, fighting the enticing invitation of the comfortable cushion of the chair.

Seras hesitated, the words teetering precariously on the tip of her tongue. "He's just so sad," she said at last, letting her eyes fall back into the distance. "It's not something I'm accustomed to."

Anna snorted softly. "How can you tell? He just seems arrogant to me."

"You've only just met him. I've known him for...well, in the grand scheme of things, saying I've known him for a long time seems rather naive. Still, I've known him long enough." She blew out a small sigh. "He's not really as abrasive as he seems. Beneath that mocking, arrogant, monstrous exterior is just a man who just wants someone to save him from himself."

The younger girl raised a feathery eyebrow. "Oh? I'm sure he'd love to hear you say that."

"It's true," Seras said defensively, finally turning to face her friend. "He's always looking for a human strong enough to destroy him. Even at the end of the battle of London, he practically begged Anderson to finish him before he died..." Wrapping her arms around herself, she frowned at the polished wood floor. "The only reason he really found to keep on living this life was Sir Integra."

In her mind, Anna tried to cast the red-cloaked harbinger of death in the light Seras described. However, try as she might, she could only see him gliding through oceans of blood, that chilling, arrogant sneer plastered across his face. "I think you've spent too many years romanticizing this in your head," she muttered, shaking away the eerie mental image. "Are you saying I should be prepared for him to take his own life in lieu of serving me?"

Seras shook her head, her straw-colored ponytail bobbing wearily in the lamplight. "No. He will carry on like he always does, only now, should he meet his death, and he will greet it as an old friend...without regrets."

Anna closed her eyes, letting her head thunk back against the leather headrest of the chair. "I know he'd prefer to have Integra here," she sighed, thankful for the dark backs of her eyelids. "Frankly, so would I. You and I both know I'm not ready for this, not by a long shot. Hell, I never even wanted this in the first place. However, unfortunate as it is for everyone involved, this is how it's going to be. As much as I hate to admit it, I need Alucard's full cooperation." Finally forcing herself to open her eyes, she leaned forward on the desk, fixing Seras with an almost helpless stare. "Seras, do you think he'll come around?"

The young draculina blinked in surprise, then managed to put on a reassuring smile. "As long as you prove yourself worthy, I'm sure he will. I know you can do it."

"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence." Casting a withering look at the mess before her, she swept an irritated hand over the mounds of paperwork. "Not to change the subject, but how the hell did mother manage all of this?"

"Very carefully," Seras replied cheekily.

Anna made a face, then stuck her tongue out on a childish whim. "It was a rhetorical question, Seras."

"No one ever died from answering a rhetorical question." She paused a moment, then glided over to perch on the corner of her superior's desk. "You know, you really should let master take some of your blood," she ventured cautiously. "Without it, he's sure to be very weak."

"Oh!" Anna frowned, giving herself a mental kick in the pants; the thought had never even crossed her mind. "I didn't even think of that. I suppose I should have done that before he left..."

"Meh, it's his fault really, for not asking." Propping herself up on her hands, she leaned back and crossed her legs, her red eyes traveling to the ceiling. "He always was too proud for his own good..."

The young Hellsing laughed, somewhat absolved by her friend's idle statement. "Why does that not surprise me?" Picking up the report once more, she settled back in her chair and prepared to read. "I'll be sure to take care of that when he gets back." She gave Seras one final appreciative glance, then began to peruse the file, this time being careful to absorb everything she read.


	8. The Men in the Monsters

**((A/N: Blah blah. Long chapter. Anna. Alucard. Seiryu. Blah. Go read it already.))**

The rest of the wee hours of the morning were spent rifling through the remainder of the files. With Seras' help, Anna was able to weed out the false reports by sunrise, leaving her with only a small pile of cases that actually needed to be addressed. Tapping the stack of papers on the desktop, she placed it neatly off to the side, then slid down in her chair until her forehead rested on the desk.

"Did they really expect us to believe that vampires have taken over Parliament?" she muttered into the polished wood.

Seras, who had been watching the sunlight creep across the floor from her perch on the desk, turned to give her friend an exaggeratedly exasperated grin. "I'd believe that before I'd believe the Queen was a vampire."

"How do these idiotic reports wind up on my desk? Isn't there some sort of screening process they have to go through before they get here?"

"You'd think." Seeing the patch of sunlight steadily sneaking up on her toes, she hopped down from the desk and retreated to the other side of the room. "However, Sir Integra always wanted to look through everything herself; she didn't want to be held responsible for the idle oversights of her subordinates."

"Of course she didn't." Casting one last sidelong look at the overflowing garbage can to her left, she heaved a heavy sigh and finally sat back up, pushing the chair back from the desk and climbing slowly to her feet. "I guess it's about time I got something to eat. I'm feeling a little light headed."

"You should have gotten some sleep," Seras grumbled, watching her shuffle tiredly toward the door.

"God, don't start that again." Stopping briefly with her hand on the handle, she cast a wan smile over her shoulder. "Besides, _you're_ the one who can't handle sunlight. Shouldn't _you_ be the one getting to bed?

"I can _so_ handle it!" she yelped, planting her hands on her hips and giving her friend a scathing look. "It's just a little uncomfortable, that's all! I'm not a fledgling anymore!"

"Sure," Anna laughed, pulling open the heavy wooden door and starting out of the room. "I saw your hasty little retreat a few minutes ago."

Seras scowled, then followed her out. "Just because you can 'handle' sticking your hand in the fire doesn't mean you do it just to get burned."

"I was kidding, Seras. Don't worry about it."

The two women continued down the hall, their quiet footsteps muffled by the rich Persian carpet beneath their feet. For a brief moment, Anna was able to forget herself and her troubles, her tired brain remaining mercifully blank as she made her way to the dining hall. Before she knew it, she was seated in her chair near the head of the table, a plate of croissants and fresh-picked fruit laid out before her. A pot of coffee steamed merrily from atop its beautifully woven potholder, and the smell of hazelnut and vanilla permeated the air.

"Oh, thank God," Anna muttered, quickly turning over her mug and swiping the coffeepot from the table. She had never been fond of her mother's tea.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Seras asked, settling into the chair beside her and propping her chin up on her hand.

The younger woman paused, the spout of the coffeepot poised just above the rim of her mug. The events of the evening past had all but wiped everything else from her memory, and it took her a moment to even remember what day it was. "Um...it's...Tuesday, right?" She frowned, setting the pot back on the table while she thought. "I think today was the meeting with the Round Table Conference. Yeah, that's right. They wanted to welcome me to their ranks, give me some advice, blah blah blah." Picking up the coffeepot once more, she quickly poured herself a cup.

"Oh." Seras wrinkled her nose. "How...lovely."

"I've never dealt with them myself." Setting the pot back on its potholder, she slipped her fingers beneath the handle of the mug and brought it to her lips, cupping the warm ceramic with both hands and allowing herself a deep, gratifying breath. "Are they that bad?" she asked, meeting her friend's eyes over the top of her mug.

Seras watched her take a small sip of the fragrant liquid with an almost envious stare. "Let's just say...they're not the nicest group of people."

"Wonderful," Anna grumbled. "More people to appreciate my obvious talents as a leader."

The blonde draculina grimaced, the thought of the group of big shot know-it-alls showering her young master with their infinite 'wisdom' obtained from centuries of sitting on the sidelines burning like bad liquor in the back of her throat. "Just...take their words with a grain of salt. None of them really know what it's like to be on the front lines."

"Really?" Anna picked up one of the croissants, taking a small bite of the flaky pastry and regarding her companion with skeptical eyes.

"Really. You've only been the leader of Hellsing for a few days, and you've already seen more action than any of them have in their entire lives."

"Well, that's somewhat encouraging. Any chance it will make them go easy on me?"

"Unfortunately, no. In fact, it's probably just going to make it worse."

"A girl can dream." Her gaze passed idly over the antique wooden clock hanging over the mantle on the other side of the room, then jerked back in alarm. "Oh God, it's 8:05!" Cramming the rest of the croissant into her mouth, she shoved her chair back from the table, sloshing her coffee over her hand as she swiped it from beside her plate.

"I take it you were supposed to start the conference call at 8?" Seras asked idly, watching her wince as she washed the pastry down with steaming hot liquid.

"No time. Talk later." All but pitching the empty mug back onto the table, she swiped the back of her sleeve across her mouth and rushed out of the room, cursing herself every step of the way.

The meeting lasted well into the evening. After spending about an hour admonishing her for being late, each of the 11 other members then took the time to introduce themselves and their accomplishments at length while she desperately tried to seem interested in what they had to say. By the time the introductions were complete, it was time to break for lunch, and she was allowed half an hour to rush down to the dining hall, cram a sandwich and bowl of wedding soup into her mouth, and make it back to the conference room before the group reconvened. The afternoon was filled with speech after speech about the importance of her position and the various things that were expected of her while she held it. They discussed everything from the correct method of filing a report to the proper way to dispatch a vampire; Anna sat with her yellow notepad propped up on her lap, fully intending to take notes while she doodled idly in the margins. Finally, when the hour hand was encroaching on 7 o'clock, the other members of the Conference decided that they had adequately prepared her for what lay ahead, and one by one their screens went dark.

When she was certain that the last of the video calls had been disconnected, Anna chucked her notepad at the webcam mounted on the table before her and let out a loud, exasperated groan.

"Goddamned condescending, self-important, head up their asses, ignorant, bloated, conceited sons of..." Her angry words trailed off into an indiscernible string of obscenities as she shoved her chair back from the table and stormed out of the room. Despite her small and rather hurried lunch, she had no desire to return to the dining hall for dinner. In fact, the meager contents of her stomach were churning in the back of her throat, and she felt the unmistakable urge to be sick.

Rounding the corner at the end of the hall, she spotted one of the butlers on his way back to the servants' quarters after a long shift. She bit her lip, debating with herself, then broke into a light jog in order to catch him before he could enter the stairwell.

"Excuse me," she said breathlessly, her exhaustion making her pant despite the small amount of distance she had covered at little more than a walk. "I know your shift is over and I'm sorry to bother you, but...please, I need a drink."

The young man looked surprised at her disheveled state, but quickly regained his composure and offered a short bow. "Of course, ma'am. Anything in particular?"

"I think I'm going to have you open that bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite. Yes, I know," she interrupted when he opened his mouth to protest, "that bottle was really expensive, should be saved for a special occasion, whatever. I don't care. Just bring it to me."

"...right away, ma'am. Shall I bring it to your chambers?"

"Yes, please. Thank you."

The butler swept her one final bow, then pulled open the door to the stairwell and disappeared into the shadows.

Anna watched him go, then dragged her fingers through her hair with another heartfelt sigh. "Sorry, mom," she muttered. "But after that 11 hour torture session, I think I deserve a little reward." Turning on her heel, she started back down the hall, thoughts of a hot bath, a cold glass of wine and a good night's sleep hurrying her tired steps toward her room.

Upon reaching her chambers, she gratefully made her way to the adjoined bathroom, kicking the door shut behind her and throwing the lock before padding across the room to the tub. Quickly turning the handles to the desired temperature, she dumped in a little too much lavender bubble bath and sat down on the porcelain edge of the bathtub, kicking off her shoes and socks while pulling her shirt off over her head. As soon as she was undressed, she swung her legs over the side of the tub and sank down into the rising water, unable to suppress a blissful moan as the bubbles tickled the bottom of her chin.

She allowed herself about half an hour to soak, then drained the tub and quickly dried herself off. Wrapping her silk robe around her lithe frame, she unlocked the door and stepped out into the room. A silver platter neatly arranged with a crystal chalice, silver tub of ice and the bottle of wine lay waiting on her bedspread, tastefully adorned with dainty embroidered napkins folded into ornate shapes. She covered a wide grin with her hand, then retrieved the platter and carried it out to the balcony.

Setting the tray down on the low wooden table, she sat down in one of the chairs overlooking the garden and poured herself a generous glass. Swirling the bittersweet liquid around in the wineglass, she took a lengthy sip, then rested the base against her leg as she gazed out across the grounds.

"Your mother never drank in times of conflict," came Alucard's voice from the shadows to her left, making her nearly jump out of her seat in surprise. He grinned as he watched the crimson liquid slosh over her hand and onto her robe, amused by her overreaction to something her mother would have found perfectly commonplace. "It dulls the senses when they should be at their sharpest," he went on, his booted feet making no noise as he stepped forth out of the darkness. "Surely she imparted this wisdom upon you?"

Shaking the sticky droplets from her hand in disgust, she slumped back in her chair and gave him an aggravated look. "I just dealt with the Round Table Conference for nearly 11 hours, Alucard. I think I've earned a bit of self indulgence. Besides, one glass of wine won't kill me."

"Whatever my master desires," he replied carelessly. Locking his hands loosely behind his back, he crossed the stone balcony and came to stand beside her, his stance casual as he began his report. "I was unable to locate Carmilla. She has either concealed herself well, or that fool of a demon was deceiving us."

Giving the remainder of her spilled wine one last longing look, she sat the glass down on the table and pushed it away. "Hard to tell, isn't it? In the meantime, however, we should keep looking just in case." She hesitated a moment, the knowledge of what she had to do next further turning her already roiling stomach. Her hands fell to the arms of the chair, her knuckles turning white as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. The vampire king watched her with mild curiosity as she turned to face him, waiting patiently for her to finally meet his gaze.

"Alucard..." she said at last, tearing her eyes from the floor of the balcony and forcing herself to look him in the eye. "Earlier today, Seras reminded me that you didn't feed before you left." She reached for her pocket out of habit, then, remembering she had left her utility belt inside with her clothes, scanned the balcony for another sharp object. Finding none, she blew out a small sigh and grabbed the crystal goblet, smashing it against the edge of the table with a short flick of her wrist. She hesitated just a moment, then pursed her lips into a determined line, trying to ignore his feral gaze upon her as she swiped her fingertip across the shattered crystal. Turning back to him, she held her injured finger out before him, a single crimson drop beading from her wound. "For you."

Alucard's eyes blazed with bloodlust in the twilight; however, he did not move to accept her offer immediately, choosing instead to take a moment to admire her commanding stance. "So there is some of your mother in you after all," he chuckled softly, removing his fedora and slightly inclining his head in the tiny sliver of moonlight. Then, with a small but toothy grin, he reached out and delicately cradled her injured finger, taking great care not to let the precious droplet melt into the fabric of his glove. In a single fluid movement, he dropped to one knee before her and brought her fingertip to his lips.

Anna felt his cold breath on her skin as he opened his razor sharp jaws. A violent shudder of fear and inexplicable delight snaked its way down her spine, and she sucked in an audibly sharp breath as she watched the tip of his tongue pass between his fangs to touch her injured flesh. Finding herself torn between the urge to run and the desire to watch in paralyzed fascination, she simply squeezed her eyes shut and tried desperately to think of something, anything, that would break the spell he had cast upon her.

"Um, Alucard...why do you serve my family?" she asked at last, her words tripping over themselves as she forced herself to remain perfectly still.

"Your mother never told you?" With a final swipe of his tongue across her fingertip, he healed her wound and regained his feet.

Anna shook her head, quickly drawing her hand back to her chest as if she had just placed it on a hot stove. "If she did, I wasn't paying attention," she muttered, rubbing at her fingertip with her opposite hand.

"Somehow I am not surprised, considering how little you know of your family's grand legacy. So let me start at the beginning. " Meeting her gaze with unwavering ruby eyes, he bowed his head ever so slightly, resting his hand lightly over his un-beating heart. "I was formerly known as Vlad the Third, Count of the country of Wallachia. My country was continually the object of desire for both the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and the Royal Knights of the Eighth Crusade in their endless quests for power. I would side first with one, and then the other, taking up with whoever would allow me to keep my throne amidst their better judgment. Time marched on, and the battles grew in number and in cost. In a rather catastrophic chain of events, I was eventually captured by the Sultan and, cast in iron chains, led to my death." His fangs were bared in a maniacal yet almost nostalgic grin. "They thought they had won, the poor bastards. They thought my land, my castle, my resources were theirs for the taking. But I would not give in so easily." He raised his hand before her, the pentagram on the back of his glove burning fiery hot as he clenched his fist in the darkness. "The blood of my army, the unfortunate fools who, serving under my command, were forced to surrender their lives to that fat fuck of a Sultan, lay at my feet. Rather than surrender my life and the lives of my men, I opened my mouth where I lay and drank in the blood of the battlefield. Hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands! The souls of the damned were mine. Thus, I became this." He spread his arms wide, smirking to himself as he saw the look of horror on her face. "Yes, little girl, I am a monster."

"I wasn't thinking that," she grated, stubbornly forcing herself to hold his gaze. "But none of that explains why you serve my family."

"Every step of the past leads inexorably to the present," he retorted with an idle wave of his hand. "Anyway, the Sultan and all of his ranks soon became a part of my kingdom, their filthy blood lost in the sea of crimson that was my country. I became known as Dracula, the vampire who would rule Wallachia unopposed for hundreds of years. However..." His eyes glazed over, a look that could be described as awe overcoming his sharp features. "Upon the visit of my accountant, one Jonathan Harker, I came to covet a woman by the name of Mina Murray; his fiancé. I traveled by ship to London to make her mine...only to be chased back to Wallachia like a beaten pup by Abraham van Hellsing: your great grandfather." He barked a wild laugh, his eyes wide with maddened glee. "That glorious man! He alone did what so many others had tried and failed to accomplish. He faced down the armies of hell to bring me, the vampire king, to my knees in a quivering pile of shit. He told me, 'you are bested. The girl has fled this place. She will never be yours, Count.' As he staked me through my heart, he gave me a choice: serve or die." A full-fledged bow was offered in a flowing wave of vermillion, the red traveler's hat pressed against a black and white coated chest. "And thus, I stand before you, the descendant of that great man, ready to serve until I breathe my final wretched breath."

"...I see." Finding herself at a loss for words, she quickly blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What would you do if the Hellsing family were to...I don't know, die out? You would be free of the pledge you made to my great grandfather, right?"

"I would be free to live a life of purposelessness, yes," he replied, straightening up and returning his hat to his head. "More than likely I would return to Wallachia to await the next great man who will put an end to me."

"And what about Seras? You would just leave her here?"

"I would feed her my blood, and then she would be free to do as she pleased."

"Ah." Putting the thought of Seras disappearing into the night from her mind, she cast her eyes out over the moonlit garden. "Alucard...this is going to sound strange, but what was my mother like when she was younger? I barely knew her even as an adult. She was always so busy..."

He grinned, then allowed his gaze to mingle with hers in the distance, talking more to the night sky than to his companion. "Since the day I met her, she was always the embodiment of power. She never backed down from a challenge, never flinched in the face of danger, and was never a slave to the mortal fear of death. She was the incarnation of Abraham van Helsing himself. She was beautiful, powerful, and incorruptible. She was...and will always be... truly worthy of the title 'Master'."

The unusual tone of his voice brought her eyes back to him. Though he seemed calm and collected, standing there next to her as if he hadn't a care in the world, she sensed an unmistakable sadness lurking within. "...you loved her didn't you?" she asked quietly.

"I am a monster," he replied flatly. "Such things are of no use to me."

She raised an eyebrow at the way he dodged the question, but decided to let it go. "...right. Sorry." Padding across the stone to the balcony rail, she leaned against it, crossing her elbows on the polished granite and leaning out into the night. A soft evening breeze played through her hair, splaying it across her shoulders in a golden waterfall. "I think she loved you more than my father or me," she murmured, puffing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "She never really talked about it, but I know she wanted to find you with all of her heart; she was the only one aside from Seras who believed you would ever come back. When she died...I guess I really just wanted to make her wish come true." She turned slightly, angling her head back toward him without meeting his eyes. "I am not...nor do I ever think I will be my mother, Alucard. I'm afraid I'm bound to make many more foolish mistakes before everything is said and done. However, I want to make her proud, even if it takes me a lifetime of screwing up again and again. So please...just be patient with me."

He paused a moment, then allowed himself a hollow chuckle. "Despite her many accomplishments, your mother never did know how to admit she needed help. I suppose you are more mature in that aspect, for what it's worth. She was always such a stubborn woman..."

The young Hellsing gave him a small smile. "Yes...she was." Feeling the mixture of grief, exhaustion and the tiniest bit of alcohol tugging at her eyelids, she slipped away from the rail and walked back to the door. "Though I think you'll find I'm a little more like her in that aspect than you might think. Unfortunately, I believe we'll have to continue this conversation another time; I feel like I'm going to pass out. Good night, Alucard." She opened one of the french doors and paused, turning back once more to give him another tiny smile. "And please...next time, tell me when you're hungry." Gliding back into her chambers, she let the door fall shut behind her, then pulled the curtains across the reinforced glass panes.

The vampire king watched her go, then picked up the small bottle of wine from the edge of the table. The shards of broken crystal quivered where they had fallen, then sprang into his waiting hand, slowly forming the shape of the wineglass once more. Soon the spidery cracks were sealed with crimson streaks, the dried blood from her wound gleaming dully in the shadows. "Of course, master," he chuckled quietly, pouring himself a glass and swirling it tastefully in the moonlight. "Though you should know..." Drawing his tongue along the crimson band of blood, he tilted the crystal glass against his lips, draining the wine in less than a second. Smacking his lips with a satisfied sneer, he let the glass fall from the balcony to the bushes below. "...I'm always hungry."

When he curtains were closed, Anna began to make her way toward the bed. However, just as she was about to pull back the covers, she noticed that she had forgotten to close the door. Letting out an annoyed groan, she tossed the blankets back onto the mattress and went to shut the door. However, just before she could kick the old wooden door back into its frame, she saw Seiryu pacing restlessly out in the hall. Before she could even begin to run her options through her head, he had turned to face her, his nervous scowl unwittingly fading into a smile as he met her gaze. "I was wondering when you would be turning in," he said amicably.

"...I wanted to enjoy the night air for a little while," she muttered, suddenly wishing she had decided to sleep on the balcony. "Not that it's any of your business. So why are you here? Did you find something while you were making your rounds?"

"No, things were pretty quiet today. Look, Anna, I really just think we got off on the wrong foot. I should probably have let you know exactly why I decided to show up here in the first place. That is..." He raised an eyebrow. "If you're interested."

Realizing that he probably wasn't going to leave her alone until he had spoken his piece, she sighed and stepped forward to lean against the door frame. "By all means, although I'm curious as to why you have to tell me this now."

"I feel that if I don't, you'll ask me to leave," he replied. "So please, just hear me out. You see, I've watched over you since you were very little. As one of the...higher ranking demons in Hell, I was allowed special access to the viewing pool that allows us to monitor events on earth. I attained my rank when we started having a rather large influx of Nazi SS officers coming into our realm...in the last few months before the great fire in London. I was drawn specifically to watch the endeavors of your mother, Integra Hellsing. She and her servant Alucard were persons of extreme interest in our world, for they were the harbingers who sent many damned souls our way. Even I was impressed by the way she heartlessly ordered the deaths of thousands of men at Rio Janeiro; for all intensive purposes, she was a monster in her own right." He sneered to himself, ignoring the outraged look that was creeping across her face. "However, when Alucard left the mortal world, things quieted down. The steady stream of souls became little more than a trickle, and many of us turned our attention back to our own realm. I began to monitor the viewing pool only when it was required of me, leaving the mortals to fritter away their meaningless lives in peace. That is, until you came along." He reached out as if to take her hand, then appeared to think better of it, letting his arm fall back to his side. "At first, I found amusement in watching your abrasive mother try her clumsy hand at being a parent, but as time went by, I found I was becoming fond of you. When threats arose, I found my way to this world to head them off before you were even aware of them. And as you grew into an adult, I found I was completely enamored with you." He laid a hand over his heart. "And thus, I am here now, when the threat to your life is at its highest."

She stared at him for a moment, unsure of what to make of his story. "I'm...not sure what to say."

"You don't really need to say anything," he told her gently. "I just wanted you to understand why I'm so adamant about being here with you. I'm...not quite savvy to the ways of this world. I hadn't realized until just a little while ago that I may have come across a little oddly." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I mean, what use are manners in a place like Hell?"

She rolled her eyes, then forced a smile through tight lips. "Probably not much. Anyway, it's been a long day. I'm exhausted, so I'm going to have to mull over what you told me in the morning. I will see you tomorrow." Taking a step back into the room, she reached for the handle of the door.

Putting his back to the wall, he sank down to the floor, letting his head thunk back against the stone. "Goodnight, Anna. I'll be here keeping watch, if you don't mind."

She shrugged, ready to agree to anything if it meant she could just crawl into bed. "If you want. I doubt I could stop you anyway." Before he could respond, she hastily shut the door, throwing the bolt and all but flinging herself into bed. "God, finally," she muttered, pulling the blankets up around her chin. "I hope tomorrow goes better than today..." Snuggling up against her pillows, she drew her knees to her chest, her tired brain swirling with stories of counts and demons as she descended into slumber.


	9. The Unwanted Guests

**((Alright, chapter 8 is finally done. Oh my God. Shoot me. Anyway, just out of curiosity, would you guys rather have shorter chapters that get done more quickly, or longer chapters that take two weeks or more? If you have an opinion, feel free to voice it. Additionally, we will be providing updates about the progress of the latest chapter on our profile page, so if you're wondering about when the next chapter might show up...check there. Well, go have 11 pages of fun. R&R.))**

About five minutes before her alarm was set to go off, Anna's eyes flew open, and she sat bolt upright in bed. "That bastard!" she breathed. Throwing her legs over the side of the mattress, she quickly slammed her fist down on the off button of her alarm clock and shoved herself to her feet. In her tired state, she had fallen asleep in nothing but her robe, and she found herself struggling to right it before her angry strides had placed her at the door.

"Seiryu!" she snarled, hastily throwing back the lock and slamming open the old oak door. Her livid gaze found him exactly where he had seated himself the night before, and she planted her hands on her hips as she glowered down at him through a mass of tangled golden hair.

"Good morning, Anna," he greeted her casually, unperturbed by scathing look in her eyes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Don't give me that," she grated, the muscles in her jaw working against the skin of her cheek. "You lied to me! Explain yourself immediately!"

Innocent blue eyes held her gaze as he gave her a questioning look. "I haven't the slightest idea what you are talking about."

The young Hellsing let out a frustrated growl, resisting the urge to plant her bare foot in his face. "You told me when we met that you were sent here by my late father to protect my mother and me from the demonic threat. Then, last night, you told me that you had freakishly watched me from Hell since I was a girl, or some such ridiculous nonsense, and now you were here to protect me 'when the threat to my life was at its highest'. Which is it, Seiryu? And when you're done telling me what had _better_ be the truth, you can start telling me why I shouldn't order Alucard to tear you limb from limb."

Seiryu appeared surprised by her outburst. "My dear Anna, both statements are true. As you must be aware, demons live for eternity. There was a substantial amount of time before I aligned myself with your father, during which I, like every other demon, resided in Hell. When the renegade demons began to find their way to the mortal plane, I offered my allegiance to the one man I knew would eventually lead me to you."

Anna threw up her hands in exasperation. "Oh, so now they're renegade demons that you, in your high and mighty position in Hell, could not control." Despite her angry words, his story was running forward and backward through her head. Hundreds of questions were clamoring over themselves in her mind, but she could find no way to refute his explanation.

"Every empire has its malcontents. Hell is no exception." Seiryu studied her carefully, then slowly rose to his feet. "I apologize for being unclear. I believed we understood each other when we spoke last night."

"I was so tired I could barely remember my own name," she growled, shooting him a withering look. "How could you expect me to comprehend what you were saying?"

He inclined his head. "It won't happen again. Is there anything else I can clear up for you?"

She pursed her lips, then grudgingly shook her head. "No. However, don't think this means I trust you. I don't. I never did."

The ghost of a smile turned the corner of his lip. "Of course not."

Catching his slight grin out of the corner of her eye, Anna clenched her jaw, her mind racing for the words that would wipe the cocky smirk from his face. When they didn't come, she merely spun on her heel and retreated into the room, slamming the door behind her.

Once she had managed to make herself look halfway between professional and uncomfortably overdressed, she let out a lengthy sigh and cast an irritated look toward the door. "I should have told him to go away," she muttered, tossing the wire brush back onto the sink with a loud clunk. After a briefly considering climbing out the window to the next room over, she rolled her eyes and headed once more for the door. However, just as her hand came to rest on the knob, a flash of movement caught her eye. Through the east window, a small procession of sleek black cars could be seen winding their way down the long driveway, their finely waxed paint flashing ostentatiously in the morning light.

"What now?" she grumbled, watching the line of vehicles until it had disappeared behind the windowsill. Suddenly the fact that Seiryu was waiting outside her door seemed like the least of her worries. Setting her mouth in a grim line, she turned back to the door and pulled it open, ignoring her unwanted companion as he followed her toward the foyer.

"What's going on?" he asked suspiciously, noting her terse expression and hurried stride.

"I don't know, but I get the distinct feeling that I won't like it."

"What makes you say that?"

"I have no meetings scheduled for this morning, and yet there is a line of official looking vehicles parading down my driveway." The hallway opened up before them, revealing the ornately carved banisters of the grand staircase. Anna quickly descended the thickly carpeted steps, casting nervous looks at the walkway through the towering bullet-proof windows of the entrance hall.

The doorman gave her a mildly curious look as she and her companion came to a halt at the foot of the stairs. "Is everything alright, ma'am?"

"Yes. Well, maybe. It would appear we have guests." She tugged at the hems of her suit jacket. "Do you have any idea who they might be?"

"I wasn't aware we were expecting anyone myself." The elderly man turned to peer through the window next to the door. "I couldn't say for sure, but one of them looks a good deal like Mr. James Murray, your mother's lawyer. Shall I have one of the butlers prepare refreshments?"

Anna blinked, confused. "Why would my mother's lawyer show up unannounced?"

"I'm sure I don't know, ma'am. However, they are nearly at our door. I humbly suggest you act as if you were expecting them."

The young Hellsing drew in a deep breath, then slowly let it out as she attempted to put on an air of confidence. "You should go," she muttered to Seiryu. "I don't want them to think I have to have a bodyguard just to speak with a lawyer."

The demon raised an eyebrow, then placed his hand over his heart. "As you wish." In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Allowing herself a silent sigh of relief, she turned back to the front door, clasping her hands lightly behind her back. The doorman nodded to her in approval, then resumed his post until the loud toll of the bell echoed through the foyer.

"Let them in," she ordered, hoping she sounded as much like her mother as she thought.

The elderly gentleman nodded once more, then turned to the wall to deactivate the security system. Rows upon rows of electronic locks clicked dully along the metal frame of the door; when the last heavy bolt had been released, a loud beep announced that the system had been disarmed. Finally the doorman was able to turn the knob, and he admitted their guests with a humble bow.

The first man through the door was indeed James Murray; Anna recognized his broad shoulders, slim build and shock of raven colored hair. The tall, middle-aged man gave her a small smile, then strode across the foyer to extend his hand in greeting.

"Annabel Hellsing." His salutation was as cold and monotonous as ever. "I am deeply sorry for your loss."

"My mother was a great woman," she said stiffly, briefly accepting his handshake with a quick flick of her wrist. His fingers were cool and dry, and she quickly withdrew her hand. "We all mourn her passing." Her gaze traveled over his shoulder, watching the remainder of the small party filter into the entrance hall. "May I inquire as to the reason for this visit?"

The older man was immediately all business. Easily flipping open the front flap of his fine leather briefcase, he retrieved a large envelope stamped with the wax seal bearing the Hellsing insignia. "I am here to conduct the reading of the last will and testament of Sir Integra Fairbrooke Wingates Hellsing. In attendance are your stepbrother, one Xavier Maxillion King, and his fiance, one Mina Laura Karnstein, as well as several witnesses from my firm."

Anna's eyes went wide, and she feigned a cough to cover a gasp of surprise. Her gaze darted back to the other guests, quickly settling on the man and woman standing off to the side. The man was short, probably only 5'6", with a stocky build and a receding swatch of muddy brown hair. His tight fitting Armani suit gave him an air of inflated self-importance, and he met her gaze with a smug smile. Anna fought the urge to make a face, choosing instead to turn her attention to the young woman at his side. Unlike her intended, she seemed uninterested in the proceedings. Startling green eyes flitted about the entrance hall, taking in the ornately decorated room with mild intrigue. Waves of red hair cascaded down her back to her slender waist, encircling a pixie-like face the color of cream while accentuating full, ruby red lips. She was short in stature, the top of her head barely reaching the bottom of Xavier's chin; however, this seemed only to intensify her almost fay appearance.

Suddenly conscious of her 30" waistline, Anna cleared her throat and forced her gaze back to the lawyer. "Well then, shall we proceed to my office?"

"Indeed." Without waiting for her to lead off, the older man brushed past his client and started up the stairs.

"Well, after you, then," she muttered. Turning back to the other guests, she beckoned them forward. "At any rate, welcome to the Hellsing estate. I would introduce myself, but I'm sure Mr. Murray has already done it for me. Please follow me; we will conduct our business in my office."

The group gave a low murmur of agreement, then proceeded to follow her up the stairs. Anna could feel their eyes on her back; the uncomfortable feeling of being studied and scrutinized yet again only intensified as they made their way to the second floor office. She found herself quickening the pace, eager to hide her discomfort behind her mother's sturdy desk.

At last they made it to the office. Mr. Murray had already taken his seat in front of the desk, leaving only the desk chair and one other leather-bound armchair for their guests. Ignoring the urge to roll her eyes, Anna strode to the other side of the desk and settled into her chair. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting any visitors today," she apologized, giving the lawyer a withering look. "I wasn't able to prepare the office for a meeting. I will send for someone to bring in some extra chairs." She reached for the button on the intercom.

"No need," Xavier interrupted, waving away her offer as if it were an annoying fly. "We don't intend to be here long, and I prefer to remain on my feet." He gestured his fiance into the chair, then came to stand beside Anna behind the desk. The young Hellsing cast him an incredulous look, but decided to remain silent as they waited for Mr. Murray to begin.

The older gentleman motioned for his witnesses to stand off to the side, then laid the heavy parchment envelope on the desk. Reaching into his briefcase once more, he retrieved a small, steel letter opener, then slid it expertly beneath the seal. "The last will and testament of Sir Integra Fairbrooke Wingates Hellsing," he announced as he pulled back the flap and retrieved the stack of papers inside. "Read at 7:04AM on the morning of May 27th, 2030 by myself, James Theodore Murray, in the presence of the two heirs to the estate and affairs of the deceased, the fiance of the heir of the deceased, and three witnesses..."

Anna saw her stepbrother shift his weight out of the corner of her eye; he was clearly impatient for the reading to begin. A wave of resentment washed over her as she watched him glance at his watch while the lawyer droned on. The rubber sole of her boot silently tapped the floor beneath her feet as she bit back a scathing remark.

It was only when she saw Xavier's impatience fade into intense interest that she realized she hadn't heard a word of her mother's will. Mentally slapping herself for being so petty, she pursed her lips and turned her attention back to Mr. Murray.

"...'sing Organization. I have spent long hours battling with myself about the fate of my legacy in the event of my untimely death. I would like nothing more than to leave this most tremendous of honors to you, my daughter. Unfortunately, after much painful deliberation, I have concluded that you are not ready to accept the responsibility this position entails. It is a burden you, as you are now, cannot bear alone. Therefore, in the event of my death, I appoint your stepbrother, Xavier Maxillion King, as the new head and CEO of the combined entities of the Hellsing Organization and King Enterprises. However, I expect Annabel Integra Hellsing to be second in command. All actions performed on the behalf of either company, especially when they consern the Hellsing Organization, will be approved by Annabel before they are..."

The lawyer's monotonous voice faded into the loud rush of blood coursing past her ears. Her knuckles were white as her fingers gripped the arms of the chair; her mother's final 'vote of confidence' echoed painfully in her mind. She could feel the hot sting of shame on her cheeks, and she blinked rapidly to hold back the tears, forcing herself to keep her eyes on Mr. Murray as the he continued to read.

"...'her duties shall also include assuming command of Seras Victoria and Alucard, in the event of his return, as they are bound to serve only the Hellsing bloodline. Additionally, if Xavier Maxillion King or anyone in his service should do anything to place Annabel Integra Hellsing in danger, either Alucard or Seras Victoria are ordered to...'" Mr. Murray's voice trailed off as he scanned the page, his brow furrowing in dismay. "Those in attendance are to disregard this part of the will and testament for purposes of legality." He cleared his throat. "Moving along, then. 'My estate will be left to Annabel Integra Hellsing. This includes all weaponry, motor vehicles, bank accounts attributed to the Hellsing name...'"

The reading dragged on, but no one in attendance was listening. Anna spent the remainder of the time casting sidelong glances at her stepbrother, trying to get a feel for his reaction to the caveats of his inheritance. He seemed unperturbed, though his gaze had turned inward, leaving the young Hellsing to slowly drive herself insane.

"...and that concludes the reading of the last will and testament of Sir Integra Fairbrooke Wingates Hellsing." Mr. Murray folded the stack of papers neatly across the crease, then slid them back into the envelope. "Both parties will receive a certified copy by post. I will keep the original at the office for reference." Sliding the envelope back into his briefcase, he pushed himself to his feet, extending his hand one last time. "I hope you both have a pleasant day," he said coolly, shaking first Anna's hand and then Xavier's. Turning on his heel, he strode out of the room, his witnesses following close behind.

Xavier watched him go, then cleared his throat and gave Anna a tight-lipped smile. "Seems we will be working in close quarters from now on," he said amiably, taking a step forward to extend his hand. "I hope that we will...see eye to eye."

Anna ignored his proffered hand. Shoving her chair back from the desk, she attempted to look more menacing than she felt as she turned to face him. "I'm sure we will...as long as you don't overstep your bounds."

His brow twitched over slightly narrowed eyes. "If you care to recall, I have been appointed commander in chief of this organization. While I will certainly give consideration to your opinions, I will have the final say when it comes to matters of business."

"If you care to recall, I have sole command over two extremely powerful vampires," she said icily. "One of which has no love of arrogance, and even less patience for fools. I suggest you keep this in mind, commander." With a brisk nod to Mina, she stormed from behind the desk and out into the hall.

Once she was out of earshot and sure she wasn't being followed, she wandered over to the nearest window and pressed her face against the cool glass with a shuddering sob. "What the hell, mom?" she whispered, feeling the tears begin to slip down her cheeks and onto the windowpane. "Did you really have so little faith in me that you would leave the Organization to someone I've never even met?"

Muffled voices could be heard from down the hall. Startled, Anna quickly pulled away from the window, swiping her hand across her eyes as she scanned the corridor for her unwanted company. A few members of the staff had witnessed her outburst, and were now whispering worriedly amongst themselves, unsure if they should approach or leave her be. The young Hellsing made a face, silently reminding herself that they were simply concerned about her wellbeing as she forced a smile. "Everything is alright. Please return to your duties." Without waiting for a response, she started for one of the hidden staircases in the rear wall of the estate, intending to make her way out to the garden for a much needed moment of solitude.

Soon she found herself in the comforting embrace of the rose garden. Finding her way to one of the benches, she let out a long groan of relief as she sank onto the damp stone seat. "God, what else can happen...I find out I'm adopted?" She sighed and looked up at the sky, watching the birds circle in the crisp morning air.

"E...excuse me, Anna, did I just hear correctly?" Seras alighted on the thick green grass next to the bench, approaching her superior with a sheepish smile. "Did you say you were adopted?"

The younger girl closed her eyes for a moment, counting to ten before she allowed herself to reply. "No...at least, not as far as I know. However, given the way things have been going, it wouldn't surprise me if I was."

"...has something else happened?"

Anna's nostrils flared as she tried to remain calm. "Apparently my beloved mother didn't think I was capable of running the Hellsing Organization," she muttered, "so she left it to a man named Xavier King, who is apparently the stepbrother I never knew I had."

"What?" Seras' jaw dropped, her red eyes wide. "Are you serious? That's awful! Does that mean...you're no longer our master?"

"Supposedly not." Resting her elbow on her knee, she dropped her chin into her hand. "The will states that I am to be second in command, and that you and Alucard are to answer to me. But do you really think that Alucard will listen to someone like me, especially after my own mother deemed me unworthy?"

"I uh...really don't know." The blonde draculina frowned, then settled onto the bench beside her friend. "Master is bound to the Hellsing family, so I sincerely doubt he would listen to someone else. However, Xavier is technically Sir Integra's son, so if he thought him to be more competent than you...well, I don't know, Sir Integra _did _specifically state that we were to take orders from you so..." She shook her head, her head spinning with possibilities. "I suppose you would have to ask _him_, not me."

"And you?" Anna asked, kicking at the carefully tended grass beneath her feet. "What will you do?"

She shrugged helplessly. "My hands are tied. Whatever master decides to do, I must follow."

"That's what I figured." Mentally cringing at the idea of confronting the vampire king, she sighed and turned her gaze back to the sky. "Any idea if he's awake or not?"

"I haven't seen him all day," she said wistfully. "I checked his coffin, but it was empty. Perhaps we should go look for him?"

"You can if you want. However, I think I just want to wander around the garden for a bit. If you see him, please let him know I'm looking for him."

Seras nodded, and then darted into the air, her shadow making sharp angles against the sunrise as she retreated to the manor.

About half an hour later, when the sun had climbed a few more lazy inches into the sky, the hairs on her neck began to rise as she sensed his approach. His footsteps fell silently on the lush greenery of the garden, leaving a trail of slightly withered blades in their wake. Thick, mirrored glasses shielded sensitive eyes from the already blazing sun, though even coupled with the shadow of the wide-brimmed hat, they seemed to provide little to no protection from the burning rays. However, he seemed to pay it no mind, offering a slight bow when he reached her side. "You were looking for me, master?" he asked silkily.

She looked over at him, biting her lip as she noted the sunlight reflecting merrily from his coat. "Should you really be out here when it's this bright?"

"It is no more than a slight annoyance," he said idly. "Besides, you were the one who requested my presence here rather than coming to look for me in the shadows." He gave her a mocking bow. "I go where my master commands, and thus, I am here."

Unsurprised by the scathing nature of his reply, she scanned the area for a place with a little more shade. Settling on the gazebo tastefully placed at the end of a finely paved walkway, she rose from the bench and and hurriedly made her way to one of the shaded benches. "I have a question for you," she began, settling onto the cool wooden surface.

"This should be interesting," he mused, stepping into the small structure and leaning against one of the central support beam.

Anna raised an eyebrow, biting back a childish retort. "Just answer the question. If my mother had turned over the Hellsing Organization to someone else...what would you do?"

"I suppose that would depend on what you would want me to do," he replied easily. "You are my master, after all. I will do as you command." Yellow sunlight glinted off the lenses of his glasses. "Unless of course..there was another of your bloodline who proved themselves to be more worthy than yourself."

"Do step brothers count? Because apparently my mother left everything to him." She paused to flick an irritated glance over her shoulder. To her chagrin, she saw the short figure of her stepbrother gingerly picking his way toward them through the dew covered grass. "Speak of the devil," she muttered.

Obviously dismayed by the tiny blades of green that were adhering themselves to his shiny leather shoes, Xavier gratefully stepped onto the paving stones of the walkway, then quickly strode over to the gazebo and stepped inside. "You must be Alucard," he began, slightly out of breath from his trek across the yard. He made no effort to greet Anna, choosing instead to turn his back to her in favor of the vampire king. "I've heard a lot about you."

Alucard looked the shorter man up and down, his disapproval evident even behind his tinted glasses. "And I've heard nothing of you, so I suppose you are of no significance. State your business, then leaves us in peace."

Anna hid a smile behind her hand.

Seemingly unfazed by Alucard's dismissive tone, Xavier crossed the wooden floor of the gazebo and sat down opposite of Anna. "To be perfectly honest, I have no pressing business at the time. I simply came out to see the grounds. When I saw you over here with Annabel, I decided I would come over and introduce myself. My name is Xavier King."

"I would prefer if you would call me Anna," she grated. "Only my mother used my full name, and I would like for it to stay that way."

Xavier waved her statement aside. "Yes, yes, of course." Turning back to Alucard, he rested one ankle on the opposite knee, stretching his arms over his head as he leaned back against the bench. "At any rate, I thought you would like to meet the man who will be issuing your orders."

"Ha...hahahaha...hahahahaha!" The no-life king clutched his sides as he roared out an incredulous laugh. "You? Give me orders?" He bared his fangs in a leering sneer. "You are an insect. I don't take orders from insects." Ignoring Anna's half-hearted attempt at protest, he advanced on Xavier, his pitch black shadow engulfing the shorter man as he approached. "You've received your final warning. Be gone, maggot, or I will tear you to bloody shreds."

"You wouldn't kill your master," Xavier replied, the slight tremor in his voice belying his efforts to appear unafraid. "You are bound to obey by those seals on your gloves."

Alucard's grin widened, a nonexistent wind ruffling his pitch black hair. "Go ahead, then; command me not to kill you. We'll see how long it takes for your 'orders' to fade into a whimpering cry for mercy."

Realizing the mortal danger in which Xavier unknowingly found himself, Anna jumped to her feet and rushed to grab the vampire's arm. "Alucard!" she hissed. Giving him what she hoped was a commanding shake of her head, she turned back to her stepbrother with a tight-lipped smile. "Perhaps we should speak another time."

The shorter man was already on his feet. "Perhaps you are right. Well then, I bid you both adieu." Though he tried to maintain an air of confident indifference, he all but fell over himself as he hurried back to the mansion.

"What, you would take offense if I disemboweled him?" Alucard snickered, watching him scurry up the back steps of the manor.

She gave him a crooked smile, releasing his arm and taking an awkward step back. "Not especially, but I'd rather not deal with any more issues today."

"So you're just going to sit back while he and his dogs invade your home and usurp your birthright?" He blew out a low whistle. "No wonder your mother left the Hellsing Organization to him rather than you."

She bristled, her cheeks once again beginning to burn. "I never said I was going to sit back and do nothing. However, I can't in good conscience allow him to be killed simply because I don't particularly care for him."

"The only way he will cease to be a thorn in your side is if he is dead," he told her calmly. "To believe otherwise makes you a fool."

"If he tries to do anything that would harm me, you or Seras, then you are free to do with him as you please." She couldn't suppress a small chuckle at the memory of the lawyer's face when he had read her mother's small addendum to her will. "Anyway, she apparently left him in charge of the American anti-freak organization as well. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll return to the States."

"With such a prize as Hellsing just waiting to be claimed?" He snorted. "I doubt it."

"I can dream," she muttered. With a half-hearted laugh, she shrugged her shoulders and slumped back into her seat. "Maybe you or Seiryu can go to the States and cause enough trouble that he has to go home."

"And leave you here to fend for yourself?" He barked a laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. You would be dead within a day."

"I'd have Seras" she grumbled. "Besides, I wasn't serious."

"I have no interest in leaving Europe without a damned good reason, especially if it requires flying overseas." Beginning to get a bit irritated with their frivolous exchange, he folded his arms across his chest. "Now, if we are finished here, I would like to return to headquarters. With my master's permission, of course," he added dryly.

Casting a wistful look at the sun-bathed garden, she sighed and rose from her seat. "I suppose I should get back to work anyway, so I will accompany you back to the manor."

Alucard nodded once, then turned on his heel and started back to the estate. Feeling obliged to keep up, Anna increased her pace until she was able to fall into step beside him.

The vampire king did not turn his gaze from the path. "So...what _do_ you intend to do about this impending take-over?" he asked idly.

She was quiet a moment as she wracked her brain for an answer, loathe to admit that she was completely at a loss. "Well...first, I guess I'll call Mr. Murray and see if there is anything I can do legally. Maybe we can find a loophole. If that doesn't work...maybe I can talk Xavier into leaving me in charge here while he returns to King Enterprises in the States."

Alucard seemed unimpressed. "Somehow I expected you to suggest something that would work. At any rate, Integra must have had little faith in you, seeing how she left this organization to someone completely outside of the family bloodline." The two passed beneath the ancient stone archway and made their way into the mansion. "Perhaps I should reconsider my decision to reject your stepbrother's authority."

"I am more than capable of running this organization," she growled. "The only reason I'm not fully prepared is...well..." She trailed off, biting her lip as she remembered the last conversation she had with her mother. It had ended with her in tears, screaming that she was going to lead her own life, and that she had never wanted to become the leader of such a terrible organization. She had stormed out of the room, determined to show her mother that she had no intention of carrying out her wishes. Integra had let her go with only a resigned shake of her head, which, at the time, only infuriated her more.

Now, she found herself wishing with all her heart that she could have made her mother proud.

"You did not want the responsibility," Alucard finished for her. "You found your mother's mantle too heavy to bear, and so, like the child you are, you spat upon it and fled with your tail between your legs."

Anna opened her mouth to protest, but immediately snapped it shut, her cheeks burning as she cast her gaze at the old tile floor as it passed beneath their feet. There was nothing she could say; everything he said was true.

"It seems clear that I must ultimately align myself with the new leader of Hellsing, as per your mother's wishes." He blew out an indignant snort. "However, I must say, your fool of a stepbrother seems more incompetent than even you, so I find I am at a loss."

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted by that or not."

"Irrelevant." Suddenly he stopped short, eyes narrowing into glowing slits behind his tinted glasses. "Something is amiss," he muttered. "There is a presence here that should not be."

Anna halted her advance a few steps ahead, turning back to face him with a furrowed brow. "Who...or what is it?"

"I cannot tell. I only know that it was not present until now, and that it is not human." He paused, then turned to face her. "Do you know if the United States' anti freak operation employs any non-human beings?"

"Well, Seiryu claims to have been in my father's service, but he was present even before you got here. Aside from him and Seras, none of my mother's reports indicated any other inhuman agents working for either organization. However, if any of that changed recently, I doubt I would have seen a report on it yet."

"I see." His eyes traveled slowly around the corridor, then returned to her. "Until we discover exactly who or what has invaded this estate, either myself or Seras Victoria should accompany you at all times. I don't think it wise for you to be wandering around by yourself when such a threat is eminent."

Her nostrils flared at the thought of being babysat every moment of the day. Unfortunately, that nagging voice in the back of her mind told her that if she refused to be guarded, she would barely live long enough to regret it. "Fair enough," she relented grudgingly. "I'll go find Seras and stay with her."

"I would rather be the one to guard you unless my presence is direly needed elsewhere," he told her nonchalantly. "While the Police Girl's abilities have greatly improved in the time I've been gone, I would still hesitate to entrust her with my master's only child."

"Don't you think you're a bit harsh on her? She's been nothing but faithful as your servant, even while you were gone. Why must you treat her like she's worthless?"

"We are charged with protecting the most precious of human life," he murmured. "First, master Integra. Both of us failed. Now you, her only daughter, have been entrusted to our care. If we were to exist for no other purpose, your safety would be enough. That is why failure cannot be tolerated. I must be hard on her and on myself, for the most miniscule of mistakes can cost us the second of only two lives we've ever held dear." Despite his casual tone, she could almost sense a sort of softness in his voice as they began to ascend the grand staircase. "That is why I cannot entrust your life to Seras Victoria. She has already proven that she is not enough for whatever threat has presented itself, and I will not risk your life again."

Anna paused, his uncharacteristically 'kind' statement throwing her for a loop. "I see..." A flush once more stained her cheeks, though this time it wasn't completely unpleasant. Realizing she was acting like a schoolgirl, she cleared her throat and hurried to catch up. "Alucard, is there any way for a human to kill a demon?"

"Demons cannot be killed on this plane: only banished. A religious figure of great faith can perform an exorcism, or it can be injured so badly that it must return to the underworld to regain its strength, a process which takes hundreds of human years." He looked her up and down with amusement. "And, as admirable as your determination may be, you are not strong enough to injure a demon to such an extent, and I highly doubt you are a woman of considerable faith."

"No...religion was more my mother's thing."

"So, what do you plan to do now?"

They reached the heavy wooden doors of the office. Anna quickly pulled them open, then strode across the room to seat herself behind her desk. "I think Mr. Murray has had sufficient time to return to his office. I think I will give him a call to see what he thinks my options are." She reached for the phone.

"I don't think it gets any clearer than who inherits what," he said impatiently, following her in and shutting the door behind them. "You are wasting your time."

"Well then, what do you propose?" she snapped, dropping her hand to the desk and shooting him an irritated look. "Because for the time being, I'm out of options."

He snorted, giving her a sardonic smile. "I can think of one."

"You are not to kill him – or anyone else, for that matter – without my orders," she grated.

"Out of curiosity," he continued, ignoring her remark, "should you find no way to reclaim your position as the leader of Hellsing, would you order me to his aid, or would you have me fight against him?"

"I suppose it would depend on the situation." She looked up at him with a helpless shrug. "I guess there's always the chance that he might actually do a good job. And until I can find a way to take back my position, he's going to be the one calling the shots."

"Are you implying that the majority of my orders will be coming from him?" he sneered.

"I didn't say that. You and Seras are directly under my command. However, since I am second in command to my stepbrother, I'm inevitably going to have to capitulate to his demands." Pursing her lips, she glanced down at the desk for a moment, then flicked her eyes back to him. "Do you...need blood?"

He grinned. "Always. Does that mean you are offering, my master?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have said anything." Slowly pushing her chair back from the table, she climbed to her feet and stepped out from behind the desk.

"Then I gratefully accept." Gracefully closing the distance between them, he reached out a pentagrammed hand to brush her hair away from her neck. "May I?" he asked in a low, almost ravenous tone.

She blinked, startled by his forthright approach. "I...I suppose. Just make sure not to bite."

"You know..." he murmured, placing his hands on her arms just above the wrists as he neared her neck, his cool breath creating a sheen of glistening dew on the peach fuzz of her neck. "I could always just transform you into a vampire. You _are_ a virgin, after all; I could make it painless, and you would be forever powerful, forever beautiful, and forever young." His tongue drew a short, wet line on her skin. "You need only to say the word, and the night is yours."

She shivered involuntarily at his touch. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I suppose your answer is no." Smirking to himself, he easily produced the dagger she had hidden in her sleeve, dragging it deftly across the smooth skin of her neck in a single, fluid movement. "I am glad for that. Even immortality cannot compare to the wonder that is the human life." Pressing his lips to her wound, he began to drain her blood ever so slowly, savoring each sacred drop as if it would be his last.

Anna stood rigid in his grasp, her fists clenched at her sides and her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for him to withdraw. She could feel his fangs graze her skin as he drank, and she couldn't help but swallow hard; the slightest twitch could embed his razor sharp teeth in her flesh, and all would be lost.

Once he was satisfied, he healed the wound, but allowed himself to remain close for just a moment longer. Her scent was so much like that of his master, her blood almost as sweet. If he kept his eyes closed and let his mind wander, he could almost pretend they had never parted.

"Alucard..." she ventured, letting out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. "...are you alright?"

He sighed and opened his eyes, grudgingly returning to reality. "I'm fine," he replied emotionlessly, pulling away from her and folding his arms across his chest.

"If you say so." She shifted her weight uncomfortably from foot to foot, wondering what to say. "Um...do you have any news about Carmilla?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I only just reported back to you late last night," he replied, amused. "Then I spent the rest of my evening making sure you weren't killed in your sleep."

"You could have found something earlier today," she said defensively. "You know, you haven't returned to your coffin since you returned. When are you going to sleep?"

"When I'm dead." Laughing at his own joke, he turned and headed for the door. "It would seem we have company," he informed her mildly. Turning the heavy iron knob, he quickly yanked it open, letting a startled Seras topple through the door. Seiryu stood close behind her, his eyes narrowed and already fixed on the vampire king.

Anna raised an eyebrow, biting back a laugh as she watched Seras scramble back to her feet. "Can I help you two?"

"It seems that one of you has already helped himself," Seiryu growled, eying the small trickle of blood dribbling from the vampire's lips. "You should be wary, Anna. He will use his charm to seduce you, and you will soon find yourself a bloodless creature of the night."

"That would never happen." Seras snarled. "Master would never-"

"Oh, but it did." In an uncharacteristically serious show of theatrics, Alucard approached the now dumbstruck pair, arms folded across his chest as he leaned forward to leer at the demon man. "And her sweet, virgin lips ran red with blood."

"H—hey!" Blushing furiously, Anna rushed forward to intervene. "Seiryu, even if that were true – which it's _not _- it's none of your business what I do. And Alucard, your sense of humor is...interesting to say the least, but extremely inappropriate."

"Sense of humor?" he asked, acting astonished. "Whatever do you mean?" Leaning forward, he slipped his hands into her hair, kissing her forcefully with perfectly feigned passion.

"Get your hands off of her!" Seiryu lunged for him, only to be met with the barrel of the Casull pressed against his jugular. Alucard had pushed Anna behind him with ease and was now regarding Seiryu with sadistic amusement.

"Down, boy," he snickered. Hooking the tip of the weapon deftly into the other man's collar, he picked him up and threw him to the ground. "It would seem it is this one's intentions that must be questioned, my master." Taking a menacing step toward the other man, he cocked the hammer of his gun, leveling the sights with Seiryu's heart. "Allow me to send him back from whence he came."

Anna stared at him for a moment, then growled and shook her head to clear her whirling thoughts. "Lower your weapon, Alucard! His actions were facilitated by your own, and I don't appreciate being used in the attempt to prove a point. If he ever moves to attack me, feel free to kill him. Until then, I think we need all the help we can get. And you." She turned to Seiryu, placing her hands on her hips. "I may not be an expert, but I do know that a demon's power is severely limited on the mortal plane. That being the case, I would advise against mounting any sort of attack against Alucard, justified or otherwise."

"How could you let him disrespect you like that?" Seiryu fumed, disregarding her warning as he slowly rose to his feet. "You said it yourself; he used you for his own amusement."

"I assure you, his actions will be addressed," she said tightly. "However, it is neither your business nor your place to demand any action be taken at all."

"...does anybody still care that this place is about to be overrun with Yanks...?" Seras muttered.

Anna let out a deflated sigh. "Yes, Seras, I care very much. There's just not much I can do about it for the time being."

"Which reminds me." Alucard pocketed his weapon, then turned to his servant. "You and I are going to keep watch on our young master at all times. As I'm sure you are aware, there is now a presence here in the estate that cannot be ignored."

"Right." Seras glanced at her friend, then back to her master. "Do you think it's Carmilla?"

"To assume anything at this point would be idiotic." Alucard's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Do you understand your orders?"

"O...of course, sir. I just-"

"I would like to keep watch as well," Seiryu interrupted. "Demons do not require sleep, unlike some." He cast baleful looks at the two vampires. "I could guard you every moment of the day, should you request it."

"I can see 'even when you shower' written all over your face," Seras growled. Turning to Anna, she said, "I believe it would be much more prudent to allow master and myself to take alternating watches."

The young Hellsing looked over at Alucard, silently pleading for assistance.

"I don't really care what you decide," he said idly. "My orders are simple: to keep you from harm. I will see to it that these orders are carried out. How you choose to handle things pertaining to matters aside from your well being is none of my concern."

Anna tossed her hands up in defeat. "Fine, do whatever you want. I'd rather just be left to go about my business in peace, but since my opinion doesn't matter, feel free to split shifts between the three of you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get something to eat." Shoving her way past the other occupants of the room, she headed for the door.

"I can come with you."

"Do you want me to come too?"

Seras and Seiryu blinked as they spoke at the same time, and then turned to glare at each other.

She groaned inwardly, resisting the urge to bang her forehead against the door. "Alucard, will you accompany me?"

"As you wish, my master. I grow bored of playing ringmaster."

"_Thank _you." Muttering under her breath, she yanked open the door and, without even pausing to properly excuse herself, stormed off toward the dining hall.


End file.
